Kuwait Censors ‘Terror’ Blogs, Websites
Teeny Teeny Tiny Article in today’s Gulf Times:
Kuwait censors ‘terror’blogs, websites: report
Kuwait has blocked a number of Internet blogs and websites with links to “terror” cells and groups, a top official said in comments published yesterday. “The ministry has blocked blogs … used by some to communicate with terror cells and extremist groups,” communications ministry undersecretary Abdulmohsen al-Mazeedi told Kuwait’s An-Nahar newspaper. He said the ministry had also blocked sites deemed offensive to God and the emir and which undermined what he called national unity, in addition to sites promoting pornography. Mazeedi said the ministry was applying the law and “aims to preserve Islamic values.”
More information, from Al Watan:
Kuwait blocks terrorـlinked Web sites
KUWAIT: Kuwait has blocked a number of Internet blogs and Web sites with links to “terror” cells and groups, a top official said in comments published on Friday.
“The ministry has blocked blogs …used by some to communicate with terror cells and extremist groups,”Communications Ministry undersecretary Abdulmohsen AlـMazeedi told Kuwait”s AnـNahar newspaper.
He said the ministry has also blocked “sites deemed offensive to Almighty God and to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlـAhmad AlـSabah and which undermined national unity,” in addition to sites promoting pornography. Mazeedi said the ministry was applying the law and “aims to preserve Islamic values.” However before blocking any site, the ministry takes permission from the Public Prosecution.
A number of MPs have described the ministry”s monitoring of blogs as a breach of the Constitution and threatened to question the communications minister in Parliament.
Last year, the Public Prosecution questioned Mohammed Abdulqader AlـJassem for writing an article on his Web site that was deemed offensive to the country”s crown prince.
In 2007, blogger and journalist Bashar AlـSayegh was detained for two days after comments deemed offensive to the Gulf state”s ruler were posted on his Web site.
The man, who posted the comments, a Kuwaiti citizen, was jailed for two years.ـAFP
Last updated on Saturday 26/9/2009
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who blogs about terror? 😮
and why is the goverment nosy? cant we have a wee bit of freedom?
(this comment in no way encourages terror :P)
I don’t know what I think about this…on the one hand if they did find some site that condones, incites, or communicates with terrorists then I see the wisdom in blocking it. On the other hand, I worry about the decision-making mechanism – who decides what and how and what are the criteria? I worry that it sets a precedent and that it may lead to any site strongly critical of the government getting banned.
LLLOOOLL, Q8OBOY. If there are blogs supporting terrorist goals and communicating with terrorists, I am guessing they are in Arabic and I don’t come across them and wouldn’t understand them.
A nation needs to support its national security. Its a slippery slope as to who makes the decisions on censorship and on what basis. . .
1001 – BINGO! You nailed it.