Saudi Arabia’s residents may be deported if they violate coronavirus rules in shops
Residents of Saudi Arabia who violate the
coronavirus-related precautionary measures and gather in large groups inside or
outside shops in the Kingdom will be deported and forbidden from re-entry, the
Ministry of Interior (MOI) said on Tuesday.
The MOI said that penalties for shoppers or employees
gathering inside or outside commercial shops in numbers higher than the set
capacity limits will be as follows:
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First time offenders: An establishment will be fined
5,000 riyals ($1,331) for every extra person present in the facility above the
set capacity limit. The maximum fine is 100,000 riyals ($26,619).
Second time offenders: An establishment will be
fined 10,000 riyals ($2,662) for every extra person present in the facility
above the set capacity limit.
Third time offenders: The fine will be doubled, and
the person in charge will be referred to the Public Prosecution.
“In case a private sector establishment repeated the
violation for the first time, it will be shut down for three months. If the
violation was repeated for a second time, the establishment will be shut down
for six months,” the MOI said.
“If a violator is a resident of Saudi Arabia, he
will be deported from the Kingdom, and will be forever forbidden from
re-entering it after his punishment is carried out,” MOI added.
The security spokesman of the Ministry of Interior,
Talal al-Shalhoub, had reiterated on Saturday the importance of maintaining
social distancing measures and stressed that large gatherings of more than five
people were banned in the Kingdom amid the coronavirus pandemic.
He also reminded the public that anyone who attends
a gathering or calls for it or causes it will be considered a violator of the
government’s measures and will face fines and penalties.
On April 25, during the early days of the Holy month
of Ramadan, King Salman bin Abdulaziz ordered partially easing the coronavirus
restrictions implemented by the government.
Malls, shopping centers, and retail stores were
allowed to re-open given they follow strict preventative health measures
including social distancing and hygiene precautions.
The Spokesman of the Ministry of Commerce had said
on May 14 that malls and shopping centers in Saudi Arabia will remain open
until May 22 (Ramadan 29).
He also warned the public to adhere to the ban of
the entry of children under the age of 15 and the ban of shopping in groups, and
social distancing.
