"Our observations against the deportation centers are related to overcrowding of people and lengthy procedures," an NSHR delegation said, expressing its fears that international organizations would exploit such conditions to defame the Kingdom.
Hussein Al-Sharief, director of NSHR's office in the Makkah province, urged the department to find drastic solutions to the problem of overcrowding at the Jeddah center by opening centers in other provinces.
Referring to illegal foreigners staying under the flyover in the Sharafiya district, Brig. Salim Al-Zahrani, director of the department in the province, said many parties have been involved in the case of these illegal workers including their sponsors and companies.
"We deal with cases of absconding workers sponsored by individuals and Umrah and Haj pilgrims. The cases of people who are sponsored by companies come under the jurisdiction of the Labor Office," the director said.
The NSHR delegation highlighted the humanitarian issue of the hundreds of foreign men and women living under the bridge. "It's the duty of the Passport Department to coordinate with other government agencies to provide these people with proper accommodation until they are deported to their respective countries."
They said the building where the overstayers are to be accommodated should have offices of the Passport Department, police, labor office, health clinic and an office for foreign missions to handle their matters quickly.
They insisted that the law should be applied equally on parties involved including Umrah and Haj service companies, violators of iqama regulations and their sponsors.
Al-Zahrani told NSHR members that he was ready to consider their observations about the performance of his officers. He gave NSHR members his phone number to contact him whenever they find any observation.
He made this statement while looking through some 15 observations made by the society on the performance of passport officers in the Northern Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.
The NSHR has asked the authorities to provide a suitable building for the department in order to help its officers to perform their duties better.
The two sides identified Maetouk Al-Sharief of the society and Maj. Muhammad Al-Hussein of the Passport Department as contact persons to follow up cases related to the department.