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Saudi Arabia’s Nazaha Arrests Corruption Suspects Linked to Hajj 2024

Nazaha urged the public to report any financial or administrative corruption through its official channels to protect public funds (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Nazaha urged the public to report any financial or administrative corruption through its official channels to protect public funds (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia’s Nazaha Arrests Corruption Suspects Linked to Hajj 2024

Nazaha urged the public to report any financial or administrative corruption through its official channels to protect public funds (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Nazaha urged the public to report any financial or administrative corruption through its official channels to protect public funds (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) has detained 155 individuals, including citizens and residents, following investigations into 382 suspects in various corruption cases, some linked to the Hajj season.

The Nazaha said in a statement on its X account on Monday that its officials carried out a total of 924 inspection raids during the last month of June.

The Nazaha initiated a number of criminal and administrative cases following the oversight rounds in June, which resulted in the investigation of cases against 382 officials accused of various corruption charges.

These officials are from the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Transport and Logistics, and Ministry of Culture, in addition to the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority.

Out of the 155 detained, some were released on bail. They face charges of bribery, abuse of power, forgery, and money laundering. Nazaha is finalizing legal procedures to refer these cases to court.

The authority urged the public to report any financial or administrative corruption through its official channels to protect public funds.

This year’s Hajj season saw a rise in fraudulent campaigns, with 160 compared to 83 last year. These fake campaigns led to the deaths of 1,079 unregistered pilgrims due to heat exhaustion while walking long distances without proper transportation and accommodations.

Authorities deported over 256,000 visitors with non-Hajj visas and sent back 250,400 non-residents from Makkah.

Despite continuous warnings from Saudi authorities about the importance of legal Hajj pilgrimages and adhering to medical advice to cope with high temperatures and heat stress, Health Minister Fahd Al-Jalajel said authorities managed a significant number of affected individuals, some of whom are still receiving care.

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Saudi Arabia Urges Global Support for Two-State Solution Alliance

A group photo from the third Asia Cooperation Dialogue summit in Doha, Qatar (SPA)
A group photo from the third Asia Cooperation Dialogue summit in Doha, Qatar (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Urges Global Support for Two-State Solution Alliance

A group photo from the third Asia Cooperation Dialogue summit in Doha, Qatar (SPA)
A group photo from the third Asia Cooperation Dialogue summit in Doha, Qatar (SPA)

The ongoing Israeli war on Gaza and Lebanon, along with rising regional tensions, took center stage at the third Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) summit in Doha, which began on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia urged countries to back the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a key step toward resolving the Middle East crisis.
Speaking on behalf of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan attended the ACD summit and highlighted how continued violence in the region is disrupting international trade and fueling political tensions, which threaten investments and economic cooperation.
“The continuation of aggression and violations in the region hinder the movement of international trade and increase political tensions that threaten the flow of investments and economic cooperation between the countries of the region and the world,” he said.
He called for peaceful and diplomatic solutions to regional conflicts to ensure the region’s prosperity.
“We thank Asia Cooperation Dialogue countries for their support for the two-state solution and their recognition of the State of Palestine, and we urge the rest of the world to follow suit,” Prince Faisal said, reminding that the situation has prompted the Kingdom to work with “brothers and allies in establishing a Global Alliance to Implement the Two-State Solution.”
He stressed that the current unrest in Palestine and Lebanon is a major barrier to economic and commercial development in the region.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reaffirmed Iran’s continued support for resistance groups.
“The Zionist enemy will be punished, and we will keep supporting the resistance until Palestine is liberated,” said Pezeshkian.
Also speaking at the ACD summit, he emphasized: “Those who violate human rights must know that resistance is strong and cannot be eliminated.”
Pezeshkian reiterated Iran’s backing for Palestinian resistance.
After meeting with a Hamas delegation in Doha, Pezeshkian warned that Israel’s ongoing actions had led Iran’s military to deliver a decisive response.
“Israel couldn’t commit these crimes without backing from the US and Europe. If Israel makes any mistake against Iran, it will face a much stronger retaliation than Tuesday’s attack,” he said.
Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, denounced Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide” and warned of the consequences of not holding Israel accountable for its crimes against humanity.
Speaking at the summit, Sheikh Tamim said: “Qatar has long warned about the dangers of not addressing Israel’s crimes.”
He pointed to the escalating violence in Gaza, noting that true security can only be achieved through a just peace, which includes creating an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders.
He stressed that Qatar will continue to support the Palestinian people in their fight for their legitimate rights.
“Israel’s relentless attacks on civilians in Gaza and other occupied areas have killed over 41,000 innocent people. What’s happening is genocide, and Gaza is being made uninhabitable to force its residents out,” said Sheikh Tamim.
He also condemned Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon, accusing Israel of using international inaction to expand settlements in the West Bank and prepare for annexation.
“We believe in de-escalating tensions and respecting nations’ sovereignty,” he added, stressing that Israel is taking advantage of global silence to push its agenda in the West Bank and Lebanon.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also called for urgent international intervention to stop Israeli aggression in Gaza and Lebanon.
He warned that Israel’s attacks have destroyed over 90% of Gaza’s infrastructure.
“Peace cannot coexist with occupation, genocide, and the denial of the Palestinian people’s rights,” Abbas reaffirmed at the ACD summit.