Ever since the illegal siege of Qatar began more than a year ago, the country has been facing increasing oppression by the four blockading nations.

While the four blockading nations tried to cut Qatar off economically, their actions have now spilled on to the religious sphere as well.

For the second year in a row, pilgrims from Qatar will find themselves unable to perform the Hajj after Saudi Arabia blocked them from doing so, reported Al Jazeera. 

Around 1,200 Qatari citizens, who are allowed to attend the pilgrimage every year under a quota system, has been unable to register themselves for the annual religious event, said Al Jazeera.

After the implementation of the blockade, Qatari nationals have been banned from entering Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. However, Saudi capital of Riyadh claims an exception has been made for the Hajj, reported Gulf Times.

In June, Saudi Arabia’s ministry for the Haj had announced the opening of a website that allowed Qataris to register for the pilgrimage, but it has been impossible to log in and register there.

Hajj operators in Qatar had earlier said they were disheartened with the turn of events and that they were giving up hopes of arranging Hajj trips this year.

Qatar National Human Rights Committee’s (NHRC) Abdullah Al Kaabi said Saudi Arabia had shut down the system used by travel agencies to obtain permits.

“There’s no chance this year for Qatari citizens and residents to travel for Hajj. Registration of pilgrims from Qatar remains closed, and residents of Qatar cannot be granted visas as there’re no diplomatic missions,” he was quoted as saying by Qatar Tribune.

Last week, Saudi Arabia’s leading daily Okaz ran a front page calling on Qataris to choose between the ‘House of God’ or the ‘Hamads,’ a reference to HH The Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani.

Saudi main newspaper front page headline calls for regime change in #Qatar or else its citizens will be prohibited from the #Hajj. Saudi continues politicizing the Hajj and using the religious pilgrimage for political leverage. pic.twitter.com/3WFgHarjVK

— Mohammed Al-Jufairi (@Halawala) August 11, 2018

Riyadh had temporarily opened Saudi Arabia’s land border with Qatar for the Hajj pilgrimage last year, but it has not been repeated this year.

Saudi officials reject the accusations and accuse Qatar of trying to politicise the Hajj.