Censorship in Saudi Arabia
Encyclopedia
Censorship in Saudi Arabia
is prevalent in the press and with Internet access
.
In 2008 Reporters Without Borders
ranked Saudi Arabia
161st out of 173 countries for freedom of the press.
. Content filter is implemented there, based on software by Secure Computing
. Additionally, a number of sites are blocked according to two lists maintained by the Internet Services Unit (ISU): one containing "immoral" (mostly pornographic) sites, the other based on directions from a security committee run by the Ministry of Interior (including sites critical of the Saudi government). An interesting feature of this system is that citizens are encouraged to actively report "immoral" sites for blocking, using a provided web form, available in government's website.
The legal basis for contents filtering is the resolution by Council of Ministers dated 12 February 2001. According to a study carried out in 2004 by the OpenNet Initiative
: The most aggressive censorship focused on pornography, drug use, gambling, religious conversion of Muslims, and filtering circumvention tools.
However, Saudi Arabia has been noted to also actively block and filter access to "politically astray" and other websites that the government deems inappropriate, including content that discuss sexual education, family planning, feminism and gay rights.
On 11 July 2006 the Saudi government blocked access to Google and Wikipedia.
In 2011, the Saudi government introduced new Internet rules and regulations that require all online newspapers and bloggers to obtain a special license from the Ministry of Culture and Information http://www.tgdaily.com/business-and-law-features/53403-saudi-arabia-bans-blogging-without-a-licence.
Censorship of foreign newspapers and magazines tends to focus on content of sexual nature. Nudity and pornography are illegal in the kingdom and this can extend to inking out public displays or affection, the uncovered arms and legs of women or anything deemed to be promoting sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication or homosexuality.
when conservative clerics deemed cinemas to be a waste of time and a corrupt influence. In 2007, permission was granted to two hotels to screen American children's films, to celebrate the end of the Holy Ramadan. That following year the first Saudi film festival took place http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/film/story/2008/02/19/saudiarabia-film-festival.html.
Television and radio news, educational and entertainment programming is subjected to government censorship and control. Live television broadcasting has been banned since 2008 and the legal status of satellite receivers is in something of a grey area http://opennet.net/research/profiles/saudi-arabia
In 1994, the government banned ownership of satellite television receivers but throughout the 1990s, an increasingly large percentage of the population bought a satellite receiver and subscribed to various programming packages. Despite the ban, the Saudi government was, generally, willing to tolerate satellite television as long as the programming content was not pornographic, critical of the Saudi government or Islam http://opennet.net/research/profiles/saudi-arabia.
In the 2000s the Saudi government launched its own satellite stations and expressed a desire to work with other governments in the region to developing common censorship guidelines and restrictions http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2009121857379.
In 2005 the two-part episode of American Dad!
named "Stan of Arabia
" was banned by the Saudi government
. The English daily ArabNews published an article that accused the series of engaging in Arab-bashing
; although some of what was being showed, such as homosexuality intolerance as well as the ban of alcohol, was true. As a result, the two-part episode was banned in Saudi Arabia, although the rest of TV series itself can still be seen
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
is prevalent in the press and with Internet access
Internet access
Many technologies and service plans for Internet access allow customers to connect to the Internet.Consumer use first became popular through dial-up connections in the 20th century....
.
In 2008 Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders is a France-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985, by Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud. Jean-François Julliard has served as Secretary General since 2008...
ranked Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
161st out of 173 countries for freedom of the press.
Internet
Saudi Arabia directs all international Internet traffic through a proxy farm located in King Abdulaziz City for Science & TechnologyKing Abdulaziz City for Science & Technology
King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is an organization established in 1977 as the Saudi Arabian National Center for Science & Technology ; in 1985, it was renamed King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.In 1984, it named Abdul Rahman Al-Athel as its...
. Content filter is implemented there, based on software by Secure Computing
Secure Computing
Secure Computing Corporation, or SCC, was a public company that developed and sold computer security appliances and hosted services to protect users and data...
. Additionally, a number of sites are blocked according to two lists maintained by the Internet Services Unit (ISU): one containing "immoral" (mostly pornographic) sites, the other based on directions from a security committee run by the Ministry of Interior (including sites critical of the Saudi government). An interesting feature of this system is that citizens are encouraged to actively report "immoral" sites for blocking, using a provided web form, available in government's website.
The legal basis for contents filtering is the resolution by Council of Ministers dated 12 February 2001. According to a study carried out in 2004 by the OpenNet Initiative
OpenNet Initiative
The OpenNet Initiative is a joint project whose goal is to monitor and report on internet filtering and surveillance practices by nations. The project employs a number of technical means, as well as an international network of investigators, to determine the extent and nature of government-run...
: The most aggressive censorship focused on pornography, drug use, gambling, religious conversion of Muslims, and filtering circumvention tools.
However, Saudi Arabia has been noted to also actively block and filter access to "politically astray" and other websites that the government deems inappropriate, including content that discuss sexual education, family planning, feminism and gay rights.
On 11 July 2006 the Saudi government blocked access to Google and Wikipedia.
In 2011, the Saudi government introduced new Internet rules and regulations that require all online newspapers and bloggers to obtain a special license from the Ministry of Culture and Information http://www.tgdaily.com/business-and-law-features/53403-saudi-arabia-bans-blogging-without-a-licence.
Speech
Individual freedom of speech and peaceful assembly are not respected by the government. Any speech or public demonstration that is deemed to be critical of the government, especially the royal family, or Islam, as defined by government, can lead to imprisonment, corporal punishment even execution http://www.slate.com/id/2189366/entry/2189367/.Press
Saudi and foreign newspapers and magazines, including advertising, are strictly controlled by censorship officials, to remove content that is offensive. Newspapers and magazines must not offend or criticize the royal family, respected government officials, Arab culture or Islamic morality.Censorship of foreign newspapers and magazines tends to focus on content of sexual nature. Nudity and pornography are illegal in the kingdom and this can extend to inking out public displays or affection, the uncovered arms and legs of women or anything deemed to be promoting sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication or homosexuality.
Films & Television
Public cinemas have been illegal since the 1980s1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
when conservative clerics deemed cinemas to be a waste of time and a corrupt influence. In 2007, permission was granted to two hotels to screen American children's films, to celebrate the end of the Holy Ramadan. That following year the first Saudi film festival took place http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/film/story/2008/02/19/saudiarabia-film-festival.html.
Television and radio news, educational and entertainment programming is subjected to government censorship and control. Live television broadcasting has been banned since 2008 and the legal status of satellite receivers is in something of a grey area http://opennet.net/research/profiles/saudi-arabia
In 1994, the government banned ownership of satellite television receivers but throughout the 1990s, an increasingly large percentage of the population bought a satellite receiver and subscribed to various programming packages. Despite the ban, the Saudi government was, generally, willing to tolerate satellite television as long as the programming content was not pornographic, critical of the Saudi government or Islam http://opennet.net/research/profiles/saudi-arabia.
In the 2000s the Saudi government launched its own satellite stations and expressed a desire to work with other governments in the region to developing common censorship guidelines and restrictions http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2009121857379.
In 2005 the two-part episode of American Dad!
American Dad!
American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television...
named "Stan of Arabia
Stan of Arabia
"Stan of Arabia" is a two-part episode of the first season of American Dad!. Part 1 is the twelfth episode and Part 2 is the thirteenth episode of the season, and they first aired in the United States on Fox on November 6, 2005 and November 13, 2005, respectively...
" was banned by the Saudi government
Politics of Saudi Arabia
The politics of Saudi Arabia takes place in the context of an Islamic absolute monarchy. The King of Saudi Arabia is both head of state and the head of government, but decisions are, to a large extent, made on the basis of consultation among the senior princes of the royal family and the religious...
. The English daily ArabNews published an article that accused the series of engaging in Arab-bashing
Islamophobia
Islamophobia describes prejudice against, hatred or irrational fear of Islam or MuslimsThe term dates back to the late 1980s or early 1990s, but came into common usage after the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States....
; although some of what was being showed, such as homosexuality intolerance as well as the ban of alcohol, was true. As a result, the two-part episode was banned in Saudi Arabia, although the rest of TV series itself can still be seen
See also
- Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice
- Cinema of Saudi ArabiaCinema of Saudi ArabiaThe cinema of Saudi Arabia is comparatively small, as only two feature films from the country and one documentary were released in 2006.Saudi Arabia is a very conservative country. Although there are no cinemas in the kingdom, many Saudis watch films via satellite, DVD and video...
- LGBT rights in Saudi Arabia
External links
- Technical Details of the Saudi Arabia Firewall by NeoSmart Technologies
- Internet Enemies: Saudi Arabia, Reporters Without BordersReporters Without BordersReporters Without Borders is a France-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985, by Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud. Jean-François Julliard has served as Secretary General since 2008...
- Report by Harvard University's Law School on Documentation of Internet Filtering in Saudi Arabia