Saudi Arabia arrests 30 govt employees over Hajj permit corruption

Saudi Arabia’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) has apprehended 30 government employees for allegedly facilitating illegal pilgrimages to Makkah.

The arrests, carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Interior, target officials, including 26 from the Interior Ministry, alleged to have allowed citizens and residents to bypass Hajj security checks without proper permits.

Also held were two Defence Ministry staffers, and one official each from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Nazaha itself. Nazaha described the case as part of a series of ongoing criminal probes.

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Other recent arrests include a former university employee accused of embezzling SR100,800, a passport officer suspected of taking bribes to extend temporary visas, and a municipal worker allegedly cancelling violations in exchange for payments.

In separate actions, officials were detained for accepting bribes to overlook safety violations, authorise unauthorised construction, provide court updates for money, use impounded license plates, and sell customer data from the National Water Company.

The authority reiterated its commitment to pursuing any individual who abuses public office for personal gain, warning that the law will be applied “without leniency,” even after officials leave government service.