Gulf Arab countries on Tuesday asked Netflix to remove B次元官网网址渙ffensive contentB次元官网网址� on the streaming service, apparently targeting programs that show people who are gay and lesbian.
A joint statement issued on behalf of a committee of the Gulf Cooperation Council made the request, saying the unspecified programs B次元官网网址渃ontradict Islamic and societal values B次元官网网址婤次元官网网址媋nd principles.B次元官网网址�
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates each published the statement via their respective governments as well. They, along with Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar, make up the six-nation council.
While the statement didnB次元官网网址檛 elaborate, Saudi state television also aired video of an interview it conducted with a woman identified as a B次元官网网址渂ehavioral consultantB次元官网网址� who described Netflix as being an B次元官网网址渙fficial sponsor of homosexuality.B次元官网网址� It aired footage at the same time of a cartoon that had two women embrace, though the footage was blurred out.
Saudi state television also aired a segment suggesting Netflix could be banned in the kingdom over that programming reaching children.
Netflix, based in Los Gatos, California, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
The move comes after countries in the Muslim world in June banned the public showing of DisneyB次元官网网址檚 latest animated film B次元官网网址淟ightyearB次元官网网址� . After that, the companyB次元官网网址檚 Disney+ streaming service said its B次元官网网址渃ontent available should align with local regulatory requirementsB次元官网网址� in Gulf Arab countries.
Many Muslims consider gays and lesbians to be sinful. In some parts of the Arab world, members of the LGBTQ community have been arrested and sentenced to prison. Some countries even maintain the death penalty.
The move also comes as regional streaming services try to eat into NetflixB次元官网网址檚 revenue, including the Shahid service operated by the Saudi-owned MBC Group. after a series of arrests in 2017 ordered by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over corruption allegations that saw him centralize power in the kingdom.
Netflix has limited content previously in Saudi Arabia.
In 2019, activists blasted the streaming service for that criticized Prince Mohammed over , as well as the kingdomB次元官网网址檚 .
Netflix at the time said the episode was removed from the kingdom as a result of a legal request from authorities and not due to its content.
B次元官网网址擩on Gambrell, The Associated Press
