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This triggered accusations of dehumanization of the worker and sparked increasing controversy on the company’s treatment of foreign employees.

The oil giant said they will take strict measures to prevent such actions from reoccurring.

\"The company emphasizes its firm against compromising its values based on respect and adherence to ethics and conduct,\" the Aramco statement said.

Twitter critics described the act as \"modern-day slavery,\" \"humiliating\" and \"dehumanizing\" -- claiming the stunt was racist.

The humiliation & rendering of some lives as disposable apparently has no bounds. Aramco’s apology should be noted but the fact that someone in leadership thought this was appropriate to begin with speaks volumes about the public perception of migrant workers in the gulf. https://t.co/HOD21jjsxI

— Laya Behbahani (@LayaBehbahani) March 11, 2020

Kuwaiti cartoonist, Abdul-Rahman Buland, on the racist images from ARAMCO yesterday. (The caption cites verse 70 from Surat Al-Isra`, which says: \"And we have honored the children of Adam\"). pic.twitter.com/4Xcnsin7JX

— asad abukhalil أسعد أبو خليل (@asadabukhalil) March 11, 2020

Slavery was never abolished here, just repackaged. https://t.co/W1gFWeWLVl

— Naser (@NaserMestarihi) March 10, 2020

Other critics claimed that the hand-sanitizer suit was no different than human billboards found in the United States and other European countries.

\"Do not apologize to us apologize to the person himself,\" one critic wrote.

According to the Associated Press, Saudi Arabia closed off air and sea travel to 14 countries affected by the virus on Monday.

The country continues to monitor the spread by banning Muslim pilgrimage in Mecca and suspending flights.

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