Gulf nations ask Netflix to take away 'offensive' movies | World News

Gulf Arab international locations on Tuesday requested Netflix to take away “offensive content material” on the streaming service, apparently focusing on programmes that present people who find themselves homosexual and lesbian.

A joint assertion issued on behalf of a committee of the Gulf Cooperation Council made the request, saying the unspecified programmes “contradict Islamic and societal values "and ideas.”

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates every revealed the assertion by way of their respective governments as effectively.

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They, together with Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar, make up the six-nation council.

Whereas the assertion did not elaborate, Saudi state tv additionally aired video of an interview it performed with a lady recognized as a “behavioural marketing consultant” who described Netflix as being an “official sponsor of homosexuality.”

It aired footage on the identical time of a cartoon, “Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous,” wherein two ladies kissed, although the footage was blurred out.

Saudi state tv additionally aired a section suggesting Netflix may very well be banned within the kingdom over that programming reaching kids.

Netflix, primarily based in Los Gatos, California, didn't reply to requests for remark Tuesday.

The transfer comes after international locations within the Muslim world in June banned the general public displaying of Disney's newest animated movie “Lightyear” over a quick second displaying two lesbian characters kissing.

After that, the corporate's Disney streaming service stated its “content material out there ought to align with native regulatory necessities” in Gulf Arab international locations.

Many Muslims contemplate gays and lesbians to be sinful. In some elements of the Arab world, members of the LGBTQ group have been arrested and sentenced to jail.

Some international locations even keep the dying penalty.

The transfer additionally comes as regional streaming companies attempt to eat into Netflix's income, together with the Shahid service operated by the Saudi-owned MBC Group.

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The Saudi authorities is believed to carry a controlling stake in MBC Group after a sequence of arrests in 2017 ordered by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over corruption allegations that noticed him centralise energy within the kingdom.

Netflix has restricted content material beforehand in Saudi Arabia.

In 2019, activists blasted the streaming service for pulling an episode of comic Hasan Minhaj's “Patriot Act” that criticised Prince Mohammed over the killing and dismemberment of Washington Put up journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in addition to the dominion's involvement within the struggle in Yemen.

Netflix on the time stated the episode was faraway from the dominion because of a authorized request from authorities and never as a result of its content material.