Netflix Under Fire for Pulling 'Patriot Act' Episode Criticizing Saudi Arabia

Saudi officials claim the episode violates cyber crime laws

BY Sarah MurphyPublished Jan 2, 2019

Netflix is facing backlash after blocking an episode of current affairs program Patriot Act from airing in Saudi Arabia.
 
The episode in question originally aired on October 28, and it hears Hasan Minhaj criticizing Saudi crown prince over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the country's war on Yemen. Netflix has now pulled it from its service in Saudi Arabia, citing a legal request from local authorities.
 
"We strongly support artistic freedom worldwide and removed this episode only in Saudi Arabia after we had received a valid legal demand from the government — and to comply with local law," Netflix said in a statement.
 
Saudi officials claim that the episode of Patriot Act violates Article 6, Paragraph 1 of the Anti-Cyber Crime Law, which states, "production, preparation, transmission, or storage of material impinging on public order, religious values, public morals, and privacy, through the information network or computers" is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine.
 
Netflix has been widely criticized for adhering to Saudi Arabia's censorship, though the Financial Times (who first reported the story) pointed out that the episode can still be viewed in its entirety on YouTube.
 
Minhaj himself has now responded to the situation, tweeting sarcastically, "Clearly, the best way to stop people from watching something is to ban it, make it trend online, and then leave it up on YouTube."
 
See some of the other criticism below.
 
Watch the clip in question below — via YouTube.
 

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