Tunisian President Kais Saied has dismissed Minister of Religious Affairs Brahim Chaïbi following the death of dozens of Tunisians during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, which took place under extreme heat conditions.
Since Saudi Arabia introduced tourist visas in 2019, many pilgrims have sought to bypass official channels © Mena Today
Tunisian President Kais Saied has dismissed Minister of Religious Affairs Brahim Chaïbi following the death of dozens of Tunisians during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, which took place under extreme heat conditions.
In a brief statement, the presidency did not specify the reasons for Chaïbi's dismissal, which occurred shortly after the Hajj concluded on Wednesday. According to a recent tally by Tunisian media, at least 49 Tunisian pilgrims, most of whom did not have official permits, died primarily due to the severe temperatures. This figure was updated from an earlier official report on Tuesday, which cited 35 deaths.
These Tunisians are among the 1,100 pilgrims reported dead by various countries, either officially or through diplomatic channels involved in locating the victims.
Brahim Chaïbi, who holds a PhD in Islamic jurisprudence, had been serving as the Minister of Religious Affairs since October 2021.
Saudi Arabia allocates permits to Muslim countries based on quotas, and these permits are often distributed through lotteries in countries like Egypt.
Pilgrims who secure permits must then use accredited service providers, which are typically expensive.
Since Saudi Arabia introduced tourist visas in 2019, many pilgrims have sought to bypass official channels, contributing to the high number of unauthorized pilgrims.
Hundreds of Tunisians marched in the capital on Friday, escalating protests against President Kais Saied, two days before what they say is an unfair presidential vote in which Saied has removed most other candidates to remain in power.
Tunisia's election on Sunday pits President Kais Saied, who rights groups say has removed most democratic checks on his power, against a candidate who was suddenly jailed last month and another who heads a minor political party.
As French President Emmanuel Macron hosts the Francophonie Summit this Friday and Saturday, the event highlights both the diplomatic limitations facing Macron after his electoral defeat and the growing questions about the relevance and coherence of the organization itself.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.