Former Saudi Ambassador Jailed for ‘Selling Visas’

Date: 21 January 2022 - 21:57

News ID: ۹۹۰۹۸

LONDON (Middle East Eye) – A Saudi court has sentenced a former ambassador to six years in prison over his involvement in corruption and abuse of public function, including the sale of entry visas to the kingdom for the purpose of visiting the holy sites of Mecca and Medina, according to the Saudi Okaz newspaper. The former ambassador, whose name was not mentioned by the newspaper, was fined 300,000 riyals ($80,000), after being convicted of abusing his job and selling pilgrimage visas illegally, according to Okaz. A number of other officials were also convicted over the scandal.