Intellectual Property Law

Saudis Censor Blogger, Highlighting Lack of Online Rights

By IBLS Editor

Lack of Internet Rights of Free Speech and Political Expression in Saudi Arabia and the Muslim world have been highlighted again by the detention of a well-known blogger whom the Government deems a threat to their society. The royal Government Interior Ministry said Fouad al-Farhan, 32, was arrested December 10 "because he violated the regulations of the kingdom." Farhan used his blog to condemn state corruption and demand political reform, is being held "for violating rules not related to state security," according to Saudi Government spokesman, Maj. Gen. Mansour al-Turki.

 The Bush administration has protested the censure and detention of Farhan and is asking for his release and for more freedoms of expression in Internet forums. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said, "The U.S. stands for freedom of expression," he said. "It is an important element of any thriving society. It's a cornerstone of any democratic society. Wherever people are seeking to express themselves, via the Internet or via other areas, whether in Saudi Arabia or elsewhere in the world, we stand with that freedom of expression and that was our message to the Saudi government."

 Despite being a staunch ally of the U.S., Saudi Arabia remains one of the most repressive regimes in the world with the most fully developed application of Muslim Shari'ah law of any country that curtails women's rights and contains no theory of fundamental civil rights. As to the specific crimes the Government claims Farhan committed, he has espoused support of 10 reform advocates the Saudi government accuses of supporting terrorism.

 In fact, the Internet free speech analyst site, Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF) states, "Saudi Arabia has created one of the world's biggest Internet filtering systems. The authorities have officially announced that they block access to nearly 400,000 webpages, with the aim of "protecting citizens from offensive content and content the (sic) violates the principles of Islam and the social norms."" Saudi supporters are currently asking for his release. 

 Areas restricted for commentary in Saudi Arabia include broad topics, such as political websites, unrecognized Islamist movements, and any publication covering directly or indirectly with sexuality. On gender issues, RSF reports, "Saudi women, who represent nearly two thirds of the country's Internet users, can only access online content that has been expunged of any reference to their rights, their health or their intimate lives."

Interestingly, Saudi Arabian legislation does not specifically address the Internet, but the law used to regulate this area is the press law, which requires all media to obtain official Saudi permission to report on any topic. The royal family can at their whim dismiss journalists and appoint news media editors and overseers. Free expression simply does not exist in Saudi Arabia, either in the press or on the Internet.

 Yet, despite all the extreme repression in Saudi life, press and on the Internet, the blogging life there is booming. There are said to be between 500 to 600 Saudi blogs, posting in English as well as Arabic, with an added element ? women are blogging along with the men. A shocking topic is being covered by an anonymous woman who goes by the online moniker, "Mystique," who understandable claims, "I want to remain anonymous." Her blog is www.mystiquesa.blogspot.com, and she states about it, "I have this fictional series, a love story between a man and a woman. And I get into the most intimate details of the relationship - like sexual details." Her blog has received criticisms, angry responses, and hate-mail.

 Overall, as Saudis become more exposed to the Internet, the Government may find out that leading the digital revolution and trying to benefit from it, both economically and socially, might be preferable to being on the other end of censorship and restrictions of online free speech that is destined to fail, anyway.

Full post as published by IBLS Internet Law Blog on January 08, 2008 (boomark / email).