TE24 International Desk:
Saudi National Arrested, Referred to Public Prosecution for Helping Non-Muslims Enter Mecca Illegally: Violations of the SPA non-Muslim entry ban will not be tolerated and perpetrators will be punished. (File/AFP)
The Makkah Police spokesman warned that foreigners arriving in Saudi Arabia must respect and obey the country’s laws. A Saudi national has been arrested and referred to public prosecution for facilitating the entry of a non-Muslim journalist into Mecca, violating the country’s law that prohibits non-Muslims from entering the city, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said.
Friday. “Police in the Mecca region have referred a citizen for public prosecution, who was involved in facilitating the transfer and entry into the holy city of a (non-Muslim) journalist [who] holds US citizenship. Makkah by crossing a path dedicated only to Muslims in clear violation of the law that prohibits non-Muslims from entering Makkah,” the SPA statement said.
“Therefore, he has been arrested, and legal action has been taken against him,” the statement added.
The Makkah police spokesman warned that foreigners coming to Saudi Arabia must respect the country’s laws, especially regarding the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah and the Masjid al-Nababi in Madinah.
Non-Muslim immigration violations are unacceptable and offenders will be punished, a spokesman added. The journalist who committed the crime has also been referred to the public prosecutor’s office and the necessary procedures have been initiated, SPA said in a statement.
France-based news agency AFP earlier reported that Israeli Channel 13 journalist Giltamari posted a video on Twitter of him hiding in Mecca. in
In the video, Tamari is seen climbing Mount Arafat, a shrine where Muslims gather during the pilgrimage to Mecca, and she has always said she wants to visit Mecca.
The video was widely criticized on the Internet, with the journalists apologizing in a tweet and saying they did not mean to insult Muslims, but “to emphasize the importance of Mecca and the beauty of the religion.”
