The Federation Council held an expanded meeting on the results of the 2022 Hajj.
Iliyas Umakhanov, First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education and Culture and Plenipotentiary for Hajj Affairs of the Government Commission on Religious Organisations, held an expanded meeting on the 2022 Hajj.
The parliament member reported that around 12,500 Russian Muslims visited Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage this year, including pilgrims from the Donetsk People’s Republic, doctors who worked in the red zone during the Covid-19 pandemic, and family members of the deceased military personnel and law enforcement officers.
Iliyas Umakhanov noted that due to the sanctions, performing the Hajj had been challenging but overall, the pilgrimage had been successful. The senator praised the assistance and support of federal government bodies, particularly the Foreign Ministry, the Federal Air Transport Agency, the Federal Agency for Tourism, the Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare, and law enforcement agencies, as well as Saudi officials’ careful consideration of inquiries from the Russian side regarding the pilgrimage.
The meeting participants pointed out to senior officials of religious bodies and travel companies that it was important to fully comply with the Russian-Saudi Protocol, the resolutions of the Hajj Council, the Russian Hajj Mission and recommendations from the Federal Agency for Tourism, and to provide more active information support to pilgrims in view of all the new circumstances.
It was noted that, thanks to the implementation of the Russian Hajj Mission’s digital platform, it became possible to streamline the paperwork and fully oversee regional pilgrimage quotas.
Taking into account the pressure of sanctions and restrictions on air travel with Russian airlines, the Russian Hajj Mission decided to begin its next Hajj campaign well in advance, including accepting requests for charter flights, working out issues with bank transfers, and preparing lists of potential pilgrims by 1 May 2023.
The meeting was attended by Belan Khamchiev, Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Agriculture and Food Policy and Environmental Management, Russian senators, Government members, representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare, the Federal Air Transport Agency, the Federal Agency for Tourism, senior officials of Muslim spiritual directorates and Hajj operators.