Netflix: Saudi Arabia and the GCC issue a warning for going against “Islamic values”

• Netflix has reportedly been told to remove any content that they deem to go against “Islamic and societal values and principles,” according to Saudi media.
• Media watchdogs from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council issued a statement warning that recent content especially that meant for children broke legal restrictions.
• Although there are no laws governing sexual orientation or gender identity in the Sunni Muslim-majority kingdom of Saudi Arabia, extramarital sex, including homosexual sex, is prohibited.

Netflix has reportedly been told to remove any content that they deem to go against “Islamic and societal values and principles,” according to Saudi media.

Media watchdogs from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council issued a statement warning that recent content especially that meant for children broke legal restrictions.

There was no more information provided.

However, fuzzy clips from the Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous animated series were shown on Saudi official television, in which two teenage girls confess their love for one another and kiss.

The controversial French film Cuties was included in the program by Al Ekhbariya TV, and a caption on the screen accused Netflix of using the movie as a “cinematic cover for immoral themes that jeopardize the healthy upbringing of children.”

Another video on Al Ekhbariya’s website claimed that the streaming service was “promoting homosexuality by focusing substantially on homosexuals.”

Additionally, the station spoke with a number of well-known people who made similar accusations and asked the authorities to take immediate action.

A joint statement from the GCC Committee of Electronic Media Officials and the Saudi General Commission for Audiovisual Media said that “[Netflix] was informed to delete this content, particularly content aimed towards children, and to ensure adherence to the regulations.”

The authorities issued a warning, stating that they would monitor compliance with the directives and take the necessary legal action “in the event that the unlawful content continues to be aired.”

The claims were not immediately addressed by Netflix.

Although there are no laws governing sexual orientation or gender identity in the Sunni Muslim-majority kingdom of Saudi Arabia, extramarital sex, including homosexual sex, is prohibited.

According to the nation’s interpretation of Islamic law, engaging in consensual same-sex sexual behavior is punishable by death or flogging, depending on how serious the offense is believed to be.

The movie Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was not screened in Saudi Arabian theatres in April because Disney refused a request from Saudi officials to remove what they deemed “LGBTQ implications.”

Additionally, it appears that the same-sex kiss was outlawed in the kingdom and the United Arab Emirates in June as a result of the cartoon film Lightyear.

Meanwhile, YouTube has come under fire from Saudi officials for allegedly permitting “inappropriate commercials” that violate Islamic values.

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