Over 100 Kazakh pilgrims who travelled to Saudi Arabia for Hajj were arrested by Saudi authorities due to the travel agency issuing tourist visas instead of the required special visa for Hajj, according to reports from Sputnik Kazakhstan.
The pilgrims, who were promised assistance by the travel agency, ended up spending several days without food and water in a police station. The situation came to the attention of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who instructed the Ministry of Internal Affairs to take action against the fraudulent travel agency.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented by the Consulate General in Jeddah, provided assistance by responding to a call from the Kazakh citizens who were detained in the police station. It was discovered that all the pilgrims had tourist visas, which do not permit participation in Hajj. The Consul General and his staff immediately intervened, securing the release of the pilgrims and arranging accommodation in a hotel. Reports show that more than 300 Kazakhs were brought to Saudi Arabia by the company on tourist visas.
However, the whereabouts of all 300 Kazakhs remain unknown as they were taken from the police station on separate buses to different parts of the city. Some of the pilgrims understood the situation and returned to Kazakhstan at their own expense, while others may have continued with Hajj despite the visa issue. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised that affected citizens are taking legal action by filing statements with the police and seeking legal representation.
It was mentioned that some of the Kazakhs got off the buses, but their current whereabouts are unknown. Out of the 300 individuals, 100 have already returned to Kazakhstan. The Foreign Ministry stated that no investigative or verification actions would be carried out in Saudi Arabia, as the responsibility lies with the deceived travel agency. The affected pilgrims are taking legal measures to address the situation.
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