Saudi Arabia / Middle East & North Africa

  

Three Saudis arrested for covering protests

New York, March 16, 2012–Three Saudi Web managers whose sites cover political unrest in the country’s highly restricted Eastern Province should be released from detention immediately, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. 

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Thai website editor Chiranuch Premchaiporn faces criminal charges. (AFP/Pornchai Kittiwongsakul)

Attacks on the Press in 2011: Regulating the Internet

Legislation for Internet security can quickly turn into a weapon against the free press. Cybercrime laws are intended to extend existing penal codes to the online world, but they can easily be broadened to criminalize standard journalistic practices. By Danny O’Brien

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Attacks on the Press in 2011: Saudi Arabia

Saudi authorities maintained a suffocating atmosphere of censorship as they further tightened the country’s highly restrictive media law. In May, a royal decree amended five articles of the law, barring the publication of any material that contravened Sharia law, impinged on state interests, promoted foreign interests, harmed public order or national security, or enabled criminal activity. In…

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An Internet user checks a Twitter account in Saudi Arabia, where a journalist faces legal action after writing about the Prophet Mohammed on Twitter. (AFP/Fayed Nureldine)

Saudi columnist deported from Malaysia

New York, February 13, 2012–Saudi columnist Hamza Kashgari, whose Twitter postings about the Prophet Mohammed have drawn death threats and government reprisals, was deported from Malaysia back to his home country on Sunday, according to news reports. 

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Saudi Arabian columnist under threat for Twitter posts

New York, February 9, 2012–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns death threats and a publishing ban against columnist Hamza Kashgari for comments he posted on Twitter addressing the prophet Mohammed.

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Morocco, Syria detain journalists; violations across region

New York, May 4, 2011–The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Morocco today to release editor Rachid Nini and sought the release of journalist Dorothy Parvaz as well as other journalists in Syria. Press freedom violations continued throughout the region, with abuses in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Yemen.

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Saudi troops roll into Bahrain in this still image from Reuters video. (Reuters)

Mob damages press in Bahrain; Saudis oust reporter

New York, March 15, 2011–Armed assailants stormed the Manama printing facility of the Bahraini independent daily Al-Wasat early this morning, damaging the press and hindering production of today’s edition. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the attack, which comes just as military contingents from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been enlisted to…

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Attacks on the Press 2010: Middle East and North Africa Developments

ATTACKS ON THE PRESS: 2010 • Main Index Middle East and North Africa: • Suppression Under the Cover of National Security Country Summaries • Egypt • Iran • Iraq • Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory • Lebanon • Morocco • Sudan • Tunisia • Turkey • Yemen • Other nations ALGERIA In September, police…

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Saudi online media regulations alarmingly restrictive

Dear Minister al-Khuja: The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned about new regulations for online media you issued on January 1. The rules contain several provisions that can be used to restrict coverage. The provisions are vaguely worded, contain numerous loopholes, and grant the Ministry of Culture and Information blanket powers without providing online media protection against abuse. Most alarmingly, the new regulations would also subject online media to the kingdom’s already existing highly repressive press law.

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After running leaked cables, websites face harassment

New York, December 10, 2010–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns harassment of the Lebanese news website Al-Akhbar after it published U.S. diplomatic cables that were first disclosed by WikiLeaks. The website was hacked this week by unknown attackers, while the Tunisian government blocked domestic access to the site. Saudi officials blocked access to the independent…

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