Saudi Arabia releases Palestinian pilgrim arrested during visit to Ka’ba in Mecca

SANAA, Jul. 07 (YPA) – The International Commission for Monitoring the Saudi Administration of the Two Holy Mosques revealed that the authorities of the Saud regime have imprisoned a Palestinian resident of the Gaza Strip for a week, after arresting him while he was visiting the Ka’ba in Mecca.

The commission, quoting informed sources, stated that the Palestinian was arbitrarily arrested and held in difficult conditions for a whole week, reportedly due to the contents of his prayers.

According to the sources, the interventions of the princes and owners of Hajj companies led to the release of the arrested Palestinian, after he took a pledge not to enter Saudi territory for a period of seven years.

Human rights institutions and organisations had exposed the violations and exploitation of the Saudi regime to manage Hajj and Umrah as part of the #Hajj_No_Safe campaign.

The campaign, which has enjoyed wide interaction, shed light on a number of violations and abuses practiced by the Al Saud regime against pilgrims and visitors to the holy sites within Saudi Arabia, and Riyadh’s use of the Hajj pilgrimage as a tool of repression and control.

E.M