According to diplomats, more than 170 Uzbek citizens are currently staying in these hotels, awaiting their return to their homeland, the Dune news agency reports.
The pilgrims said they had arrived in Saudi Arabia as part of a 14-day pilgrimage organized by various groups. However, due to false information and mistakes of the organizers, they still have not been able to return home.
During the conversation, the citizens emphasized that the majority of the group are elderly people, among whom there are people with chronic diseases: heart problems, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, requiring regular medication. The pilgrims turned to the Government of Uzbekistan for practical help.
Representatives of the Consulate General noted that in recent years, a number of travel companies and individuals without appropriate licenses have been organizing trips to perform Umrah, which leads to difficult situations for citizens in Medina and Jeddah.
At the same time, only 14 travel companies have an official license to organize umrah based on the permits of the Committee on Religious Affairs of Uzbekistan. Official information about this is regularly published in the media and social networks, however, some citizens succumb to illegal advertising offers.
The Consulate General clarified that the appeals of pilgrims who arrived under unregulated programs will be transferred to the relevant authorities according to the established procedure. At the same time, citizens were advised, if possible, to purchase air tickets on their own in order to return to Uzbekistan on time and avoid a worsening of the situation.
In addition, it was explained to citizens that after returning to the country, they can contact the competent authorities in connection with the illegal actions of the organizers, which created difficulties during the trip.
At the moment, the situation is under the constant control of the Consulate General, and all necessary measures are being taken to resolve the problem and ensure the safe return of citizens to their homeland.
