The Saudi government openly admits to filtering and explains its policy in a section
of the ISU Web site. 23 According to this Web site, KACST is directly responsible for filtering pornographic content, while other Web sites are blocked upon request from
‘‘government security bodies.’’ The Web site also has forms that enable Internet users
to request that certain Web sites be blocked or unblocked. According to a KACST official, ‘‘The majority of blocked Web sites contain pornographic content, and over 90
percent of Internet users have tried to access a blocked Web site.’’ 24 The censors rely
on citizens, who send in roughly 1,200 requests a day to have Web sites blocked. 25
In January 2008, Saudi Arabia implemented 16 articles of a new law on the use of
technology. Its provisions include penalties of ten years in prison and a fine for Web
site operators that advocate or support terrorism; three years and a fine for financial
fraud or invasion of privacy; and five years and a fine for those guilty of distributing
pornography or other materials that violate public law, religious values, and social
standards of the kingdom. Accomplices of the guilty parties and even those who are
proven to have only intended to engage in unlawful IT acts can receive up to half of
maximum punishments. 26
Providers and distributors of Internet equipment can also be held liable under the
new law, including Internet cafe ´ managers whose facilities are used to post content
that infringes upon the ‘‘values’’ of the kingdom. 27
The new law was implemented amid global scrutiny of the landmark imprisonment
of Saudi blogger Ahmad Fouad Al-Farhan, who was arrested by the Saudi government
for violating ‘‘nonsecurity regulations.’’ Al-Farhan is reported to have stated that he
was arrested because he ‘‘wrote about political prisoners in Saudi Arabia.’’ 28 Al-Farhan
was freed after more than four months in prison. 29
The new law has also been applied in nonpolitical cases. For example, a court fined
a young man 50,000 Saudi riyals (approximately USD 13,000) and sentenced him to
22 months in jail and 200 lashes after he was found guilty of breaking into a woman’s
e-mail account and stealing photos of her. The man threatened to post the photos of
the woman on the Internet if she did not agree to have an affair with him. 30
In July 2008, the Saudi authorities reportedly refused to renew the residence permit
of an Egyptian national who had lived in Saudi Arabia for 44 years for writing articles
in newspapers and on the Internet that were critical of the Egyptian regime. 31 The
Arabic Network for Human Rights Information claimed that the writer’s activities
‘‘only amount to writings about his concerns and opinions about Egypt and do not
include any Saudi related matters.’’ 32
In an unprecedented move, Saudi Arabia’s National Human Rights Society
announced attempts to have Web sites of Arab and international human rights organizations unblocked by the Saudi authorities. 33 The chairman of the society said
that they are aware of the blocking of Web sites of Human Rights Watch, Reporters
Without Borders, and the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information inside Saudi
564
Saudi Arabia
of the ISU Web site. 23 According to this Web site, KACST is directly responsible for filtering pornographic content, while other Web sites are blocked upon request from
‘‘government security bodies.’’ The Web site also has forms that enable Internet users
to request that certain Web sites be blocked or unblocked. According to a KACST official, ‘‘The majority of blocked Web sites contain pornographic content, and over 90
percent of Internet users have tried to access a blocked Web site.’’ 24 The censors rely
on citizens, who send in roughly 1,200 requests a day to have Web sites blocked. 25
In January 2008, Saudi Arabia implemented 16 articles of a new law on the use of
technology. Its provisions include penalties of ten years in prison and a fine for Web
site operators that advocate or support terrorism; three years and a fine for financial
fraud or invasion of privacy; and five years and a fine for those guilty of distributing
pornography or other materials that violate public law, religious values, and social
standards of the kingdom. Accomplices of the guilty parties and even those who are
proven to have only intended to engage in unlawful IT acts can receive up to half of
maximum punishments. 26
Providers and distributors of Internet equipment can also be held liable under the
new law, including Internet cafe ´ managers whose facilities are used to post content
that infringes upon the ‘‘values’’ of the kingdom. 27
The new law was implemented amid global scrutiny of the landmark imprisonment
of Saudi blogger Ahmad Fouad Al-Farhan, who was arrested by the Saudi government
for violating ‘‘nonsecurity regulations.’’ Al-Farhan is reported to have stated that he
was arrested because he ‘‘wrote about political prisoners in Saudi Arabia.’’ 28 Al-Farhan
was freed after more than four months in prison. 29
The new law has also been applied in nonpolitical cases. For example, a court fined
a young man 50,000 Saudi riyals (approximately USD 13,000) and sentenced him to
22 months in jail and 200 lashes after he was found guilty of breaking into a woman’s
e-mail account and stealing photos of her. The man threatened to post the photos of
the woman on the Internet if she did not agree to have an affair with him. 30
In July 2008, the Saudi authorities reportedly refused to renew the residence permit
of an Egyptian national who had lived in Saudi Arabia for 44 years for writing articles
in newspapers and on the Internet that were critical of the Egyptian regime. 31 The
Arabic Network for Human Rights Information claimed that the writer’s activities
‘‘only amount to writings about his concerns and opinions about Egypt and do not
include any Saudi related matters.’’ 32
In an unprecedented move, Saudi Arabia’s National Human Rights Society
announced attempts to have Web sites of Arab and international human rights organizations unblocked by the Saudi authorities. 33 The chairman of the society said
that they are aware of the blocking of Web sites of Human Rights Watch, Reporters
Without Borders, and the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information inside Saudi
564
Saudi Arabia