JEDDAH — The Makkah Detention Center released 1,100 detained Yemenis after ensuring that they met all the requirements of status correction, said Maj. Gen. Khalafullah Al-Tuwairgi, director of Makkah Directorate of Passports (Jawazat). “There are only 400 Yemenis left at the detention center. The Shumaisi Status Correction Center is working from 4:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. to help Yemenis correct their status,” he said. Yemeni Consul General Ali Al-Ayashi said the consulate has opened a special window to facilitate paperwork for illegal Yemenis in response to the conditions set by the Jawazat. “The Passports Department requests a testimony from the Yemeni consulate and the payment of required fees. Yemenis without an identity document must visit their consulate. They will go through a thorough identification procedure before testimonies are issued from the consulate,” said Al-Ayashi. “We are in direct contact with the Saudi Ministry of Labor and Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to cooperate on the best ways possible to deal with the current situation,” he said. Baha Health Affairs Director Dr. Gharmallah Al-Ghamdi said the directorate has dedicated eight hospitals in the province for issuing medical reports to Yemenis. “The status correction procedure requires a medical report, so our hospitals are fully equipped. We have even made sure that the Central Blood Bank is ready to receive a crowd of Yemenis requesting a blood test,” said Al-Ghamdi. Meanwhile, Yemeni resident Hasan Ali said that not all illegal Yemenis are criminals. “Not all illegal Yemenis are criminals. Some entered the country illegally, but others came as pilgrims or on visitors' visas but could not go back due to unavoidable circumstances,” said Ali.
