Muslim pilgrims circumambulate the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, June 17, 2024. AP
These companies have been accused of violating standard legal procedures while arranging for the travel of pilgrims.
The investigation revealed that by cutting corners, these companies contributed to the death of several Egyptian pilgrims during the Hajj this year.
According to an official statement, the Public Prosecution's investigation was triggered by a report about certain tourism companies based in Alexandria.
The prosecution's statement indicated that 25 people had been defrauded by these companies, which claimed they were able to arrange for these persons to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj and obtain visas, which resulted in the death of a pilgrim.
The investigation further clarified that in the case of the deceased pilgrim -- a female -- one of these companies had told her that she would be granted a visa to Saudi Arabia, accommodation, and transportation in exchange for money.
The company, however, arranged for her to travel to Saudi Arabia without resorting to standard legal procedure, including not providing the accommodation or transportation previously agreed upon with the victim, thus causing her death.
Two suspects have been arrested on charges of accidentally causing the death of the victim.
In tandem, the Public Prosecution launched an investigation into the death of another Egyptian pilgrim who had obtained a visa through two tourism companies based in Cairo.
The investigation revealed that the involved tourism companies had failed to provide the necessary and agreed-upon means of transportation, which contributed to the fatality.
As a result of the investigation, which included extensive questioning of the victim's family, the Public Prosecution ordered the arrest of an accused individual and the continuation of the investigation.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly ordered the revocation of licenses for 16 tourism companies that work in arranging for the travel of Egyptian pilgrims.
This decision was made during a meeting of the task force formed by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to address the situation following the death of several Egyptian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia during the Hajj season.
According to Saudi officials, more than 1.83 million Muslims performed Hajj in 2024, slightly less than the 2023 figure of 1.84 million.
During this Hajj season, the Saudi authorities turned away 171,000 from various nationalities who wanted to perform the Hajj without having proper entry permits to Mecca. They also detained 4,000 individuals who did not have Hajj permits.
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