The Saudi Ministry of Interior confirmed, on Saturday, that the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Action is the only authority competent to receive and deliver donations from within the Kingdom to abroad.
The Saudi Ministry of Interior said in a statement, “Using the official platforms approved in the Kingdom for donations ensures that they reach those who are eligible, and violating this exposes you to legal accountability.”
The Saudi Ministry of Interior statement came after the spread of a video clip of the Syrian Tik Toker, Sarah Muhannad, calling for the collection of aid and donations for those affected by the earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey recently.
In the clip, TikTokr talked about its “planning with a company” to collect aid for those affected by the earthquake in Syria, and asked its followers to enter a link to “donate to the victims”, which caused an uproar in the country, and demands that legal measures be taken against it.
In Saudi Arabia, collecting donations without a license from the competent authorities is “an act that violates the laws in force in the Kingdom, including the law on combating terrorism and its financing,” according to the Saudi Ministry of Interior in a previous publication.
Earlier, the Presidency of State Security in Saudi Arabia warned against “responding to calls to collect donations and funds for charitable work outside the Kingdom,” stressing that this exposes the donor to accountability in accordance with the regulations in force in the country.
And the Saudi State Security Presidency indicated that “the only party authorized to deliver donations outside the Kingdom is the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Action.”
During the past few days, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center launched a popular campaign to collect donations for those affected by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
After the devastating earthquake, Saudi Arabia sent 12 relief planes, 10 to Turkey and two to Syria as part of a Saudi relief air bridge, carrying relief teams and hundreds of tons of food baskets and shelter and medical materials, according to what was published by the Turkish News Agency.Anatolia“, Friday.
Since Tuesday, Saudi Arabia has sent two planes carrying aid to Syria, in a move that took place for the first time in a decade, according to “Agence France Presse”.
On the grassroots level, more than 1.6 million people participated in a popular donation campaign in Saudi Arabia for the relief of Syria and Turkey, with an initial proceeds of more than $100.8 million, according to Anadolu Agency.
In Syria, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center continued distributing various relief materials to those affected by the earthquake in the town of Jenderes, in the city of Afrin, in the Syrian governorate of Aleppo, according to what was published by the Saudi Press Agency.SPA“, Saturday.
11 tons and 235 kilograms of food baskets, 92 shelter bags, and 69 shelter tents were distributed, in addition to 150 blankets, benefiting 755 individuals, or 140 families, according to “SPA”.
On February 6, the deadly 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Turkey and Syria, killing more than 46,000 people in the two countries, according to Reuters, Saturday.
The devastating earthquake left millions homeless in Syria and Turkey, and the death toll is expected to rise, with many still missing.
