Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Ministry of Interior has announced a series of new fines for the violation of precautionary and preventive measures ahead of Eid Al-Fitr.

The fines vary between SR10,000 and SR50,000 for individuals while commercial establishments will have to pay between SR10,000 and SR100,000.

The new measures are in the continuation of the penalties outlined by the ministry last year to limit gatherings that contribute to the spread of COVID-19, an official source at the interior ministry said on Tuesday.

According to the new measures, the person responsible for the gathering and the owner of the establishment will be punished as follows:

— SR10,000 for family gatherings inside homes, rest houses, farms, etc., exceeding the numbers specified by the authority in one or specific space, and if individuals do not reside in the same building

— SR15,000 for non-family gathering inside homes, rest houses, farms, camps, chalets, or open areas for the people of one neighborhood, etc., beyond the numbers specified in one or specific space

— SR40,000 for gatherings for social purposes such as funerals, parties and etc., exceeding the numbers specified by the competent authority

— SR50,000, that is, a group of workers in homes, buildings under construction, rest houses, farms, and etc., other than their homes, consisting of 5 people or more in one specific space, and they are not bound by one residential relationship

The ministry has also announced punitive measures for private sector establishments if they fail to adhere to precautionary and preventive protocols.

The violations for the establishments include crowding, failure to verify the health status of individuals through the applications designated for it, allowing the entry of confirmed cases.

The establishments also face penalties if they do not adhere to the approved protocols by not conducting the required health checks for their workers, allowing those who are not committed to wearing a face mask, not keeping disinfectants and sanitizers in the places designated for them, not measuring temperatures for employees and customers at the entrances to malls and commercial centers, not disinfecting carts and shopping baskets after each use, not disinfecting facilities and places for measuring clothes, etc., in accordance with the procedures laid down by the competent authority.

The penalty for the establishment and the person responsible for it will be punished, according to its size and number of its employees.

The penalties for establishments that violate the regulations are the following:

— The very small establishment having 1-5 employees will be fined SR10,000, with the facility facing closure for 5 days.

— The small establishment with 6–49 employees faces SR20,000 fines, with the establishment being closed for 5 days.

— The average establishment employing 50–249 staff will be fined SR50,000, with the facility will be closed for 5 days.

—The large establishment having 250 or more employees will have to pay SR100,000 in fines, with the establishment being closed for 5 days.

Additionally, the penalty will be doubled if the violating is repeated and the establishment faces closure for less than six months.

The person in charge of the establishment branch will be fined, according to what is specified according to the size of his establishment.

If the violation is repeated for the second time, the person in charge of the facility branch will be referred to the Public Prosecution to consider his imprisonment in accordance with the followed legal procedures.

Restaurants, cafes and etc. are excluded from the rules specified above. They face closure for 24 hours for the first time violation, 48 hours for the second time, a week for the third time, two weeks for the fourth time, and a month for the fifth time or more.

Meanwhile, the penalties for violating the regulations by individuals are the following:

— SR1000 for anyone who violates the precautionary measures and preventive measures and the penalty is doubled upon repetition and can reach up to SR100,000

— SR1000 for anyone trying to offer prayers in the Haram without obtaining a permit.

— Any person who attends the gatherings faces a fine of SR5,000. Upon repetition, the penalty will be doubled and can reach up to SR100,000, in addition to being referred to the Public Prosecution.

— SR10,000 for organizing any gatherings and upon repetition, the penalty will be doubled and can amount to SR100,000 in addition to being referred to the Public Prosecution.