By Hussain Hazazi and Adnan Al-Shibrawi
Okaz/Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH — A number of illegal expatriates who are legally sentenced to various penalties have tried to escape these sentences by giving themselves in to the authorities for deportation during the current grace period.
Saturday is the final day of the grace period under the campaign “A Land Without Illegals” to deport all expatriates violating labor and residency laws. The campaign organizers discovered that a number of illegal expatriates tried to escape fines and penalties they had on them by executive courts by offering themselves to be deported.
Those expatriates were involved in private rights cases and the legal authority cannot repeal private rights sentences. The grace period was on for 90 days as it gave illegal expatriates a facilitated exit and deportation process.
Ministry of Interior spokesman Lt. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki said illegal expatriates who give themselves in for deportation will be exempt from all penalties and fines for their violations and will be able to return to the Kingdom legally.
The campaign is organized by more than 19 government directorates. The campaign also includes an inspection tour with the support of the security authority. The campaign targets the expatriates who do not have any identifications or residence permits, expatriates who have a residence permit but is violating labor and residency laws, or expatriates who belong to both previous categories, or expatriates who came into the Kingdom on a Umrah, Haj, visit or transit visas and have not left after the expiry of the visas and expatriates who performed Haj without permit in the previous years.
Ministry of Labor and Social Development spokesman Khalid Abalkhail said the ministry is a main partner in the campaign since the first day of its launch.
