Saudi Arabia: Action against 23 expats over antiquity violations
Suspects accused of removing stones from archaeological sites
Cairo: Saudi heritages authorities have announced legal action against 23 expatriates accused of encroaching on archaeological sites.
The government Heritage Commission said it had referred the 23 to competent agencies to take disciplinary procedures against them for violating the kingdom’s archaeological and urban heritage law by transporting stones and dust from antiquity sites.
The violations were detected on the Umm Quriyat and Al Araj’a sites in Al Wajh governorate in the Tabuk region in north-western Saudi Arabia, the commission added.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has put increasing emphasis on national heritage and paid attention to renovation of ancient sites.
Authorities have recently announced several archaeological discoveries as the kingdom’s tourism sector is experiencing a boom amid efforts to attract more foreign tourists as part of endeavours to overhaul the oil-reliant economy.
In 2020, the kingdom created the Heritage Commission tasked with advancing and preserving the heritage sector. Moreover, the Commission supports efforts to develop national heritage assets, raise awareness and generate interest in them.
It is also responsible for holding training courses, developing educational programmes and providing scholarships for talents.
In September last year, the World Heritage Committee met in Riyadh.
Since 2022, February 22 has been designated as Saudi Arabia’s Founding Day and an official holiday by King Salman bin Abdul Aziz.
The day commemorates the establishment of the first Saudi state in 1727 by Imam Mohammad bin Saud, aiming to forge a stronger connection between present-day Saudis and their national heritage.