The General Secretariat of the Judicial Council announced the results of the preliminary investigations conducted by the Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the case of Jordanians traveling to perform pilgrimage outside the official mission during the current year 2024, which resulted in the death of 99 individuals according to the latest figures released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.
On Tuesday, the Secretariat stated that the Public Prosecutor, as a result of the investigation, charged 28 defendants with the crime of human trafficking according to the provisions of Article 9/c/1 and 2 and 8 of the Anti-Human Trafficking Law, as well as fraud under Article (417) of the Penal Code.
It was added that the Prosecutor decided to detain 19 individuals, including one woman, and to prevent 10 others from traveling pending the investigation. The Public Prosecutor utilized its powers to implement the measures stipulated in Article (15) of the Anti-Human Trafficking Law by closing down companies that played a significant role in violating the law and facilitating pilgrimage without authorization. Additionally, it issued a decision to seize the criminal proceeds that were the result of this unauthorized pilgrimage.
The specialized Public Prosecutor's Office will continue its investigative procedures by hearing the testimonies of the victims, relatives of the deceased, and relevant officials, as well as issuing the necessary correspondence to the Cyber Crime Unit to monitor and trace the testimonies and videos related to the circumstances and conditions of the irregular pilgrimage circulating on social media platforms.
The General Secretariat indicated that the preliminary investigations revealed that some individuals, including owners of private companies linked to passenger transport operations and owners of pilgrimage and Umrah companies or those working in this field, attracted, transported, and accommodated many Jordanian citizens to visit Mecca during the pilgrimage season without the required permits. This occurred in early May 2024, one month before the pilgrimage season, using visit permits that did not authorize them to perform the pilgrimage, with knowledge of those companies and individuals that the permits issued for the pilgrims did not allow them to perform the pilgrimage, all in exchange for financial amounts charged for each individual sent to pilgrimage in this manner.
