Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — Official agencies are allowed to keep bodies at hospital morgues for a maximum of 60 days if the death was normal and there were no criminal motives, the Health Ministry said, adding that they have to complete burial procedures as quickly as possible. The department for public relations and awareness said the ministry keeps bodies in morgues after recording data of every dead person in a register. Bodies of pilgrims are kept in hospitals after informing foreign Haj missions, the directorate of health and security agencies. The department for supervising morgue has been given instructions to remove all obstacles facing quick burial or repatriation of dead bodies, the ministry said, adding that it will be done as per the rules and regulations set by the Health Ministry and the Interior Ministry. When a dead body arrives at the hospital it will be recorded properly by the concerned official who should keep the supervisor and hospital director informed about developments at the morgue. The supervisor should inform the Interior Ministry about bodies kept in the morgue, especially those bodies that have been kept there for more than two months. The department will inform foreign Haj missions, the directorates of health affairs and the Interior Ministry about bodies kept in the morgue. Unidentified bodies will be kept in the morgue and police will be informed of it. Relatives and friends will be asked to identify the bodies. Once the body is identified the name of the person will be recorded in the register. Sheikh Abdullah Al-Munie, a member of the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars, emphasized the need to bury the bodies soon after death and funeral prayer. If any criminal motive was suspected the burial can be delayed for investigation purposes, he told Al-Watan Arabic daily. If a body could not be identified for any reason it is better to bury it as quickly as possible, instead of keeping it in the morgue indefinitely. However, the burial could be delayed for a specific period in order to give families an opportunity to identify and receive the bodies, he said. Unidentified bodies and bodies of orphans shall be kept in the morgue for a maximum of two months before burial unless a criminal investigation is involved. However, photos and fingerprints will be taken before burial and should be given to security agencies. Bodies should be buried after obtaining permission from the relevant authorities, which issue burial permissions after making sure that all necessary measures have been completed. Bodies shall be accepted at the morgue after confirming the identity of a relative of the dead person. The department can refuse to release a body in the absence of official documents. All data shall be recorded at the time of accepting the body and an identification card with necessary information will be attached with it. All information regarding the body shall be kept in the computer system.