The Saudi Strategy to Block Online Freedom of Speech: Bureaucracy

Common sense tells us if it ain't broke don't fix. Unfortunately the Saudi Ministry of Culture and Information, MOCI, seems to be lacking in the common sense department.

Since last September, the MOCI's spokesperson, Mr. Abdulrahman al-Hazzaa has been talking about how the ministry will soon unveil a system that will organize the internet. Yes, somehow this Saudi ministry believes that it can do the impossible. Despite a lot of objections to the proposal, on the first day of 2011, the ministry announced this groundbreaking new system. An English translation and commentary are available here. What's funny is that two years earlier the Saudi Interior Ministry had already set a very strict and thorough system of laws that oversees any online violations.

The claimed purpose of this new set of laws according to the ministry is to support people online. However every single bylaw seems to convey the exact opposite.

Mandatory registration at the MOCI, commencing from the first of February is required for; Electronic journalism, websites of traditional media websites such as those run by TV channels and paper newspapers, advertisement websites, audio and visual media websites, cell phone broadcasting (messages, news, ads, pictures, etc), Broadcasting via other messages (messages, news, ads, pictures, etc). And then there is "voluntary" registration for; forums, blogs. personal websites, mail lists, Electronic archives and chat rooms.

Basically the definitions and bylaws are vague enough to prosecute anyone for anything. For example audio and visual websites are undefined and yet mandatorily required to register, so what if you have a weblog or a Youtube channel, will you be punished for not registering? A third of the country's population are expatriates and yet they have been excluded from being able to register any form of online journalism or advertising and are restricted to only forums, blogs, mailing lists and chat rooms. So does that have any implications for international classified ads websites that have Saudi pages such as this? Bottom line is that the whole concept of organizing the internet according to physical location and nationality of people online is preposterous and impossible.

Another issue is personal websites and blogs, these are just part of a spectrum of individual expression that also includes Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, Tumblr…etc. And everyday a new format of self-expression pops up. Hey, even some regular commentors on news websites are much more expressive and write more than the average blogger. In a country where you can get imprisoned indefinitely for being annoying, blocked online without explanation and where a strict and thorough Ministry of Interior supervises everyone, online and off, there really is no need for anymore organizing.

The minister himself, has expressed reluctance and doubts about his own ministry's newly proposed laws, on January fifth he posted this statement on his Facebook wall:

"Following criticism of the system of electronic publishing, I have noticed the attention given to article 7, paragraph 8, on the approval of the Ministry of Information of editors of the online newspaper. I will - God willing - modify it to "electronic newspapers have to inform the Ministry of Information of their editor in chief." I am making a note of all criticisms for use in the development of the system very soon"

Here the minister is referring to a bylaw that states that all online newspapers and news agencies must have a pre-approved editor-in-chief. The only thing that could be accomplished by such a law is Big Brotherish approach to controlling the idealogical stance of Saudi news organizations.

Obviously, the minister has already listened to the voices of Saudi citizens regarding the requirement of approving editors in chief, let's support him in making that change and while he's at it, to remove blogs, personal website and audio/visual websites from the list. They are forms of individual expression and are no different from Twitter, Facebook and all other forms of self-expression online. If they are kept in the bylaws, it would lead to confusion and increase the already existing atmosphere of government interference and intimidation.

Let's support the minister's decision to allow online Saudi news organization have the freedom to choose their own editors and at the same time request that he remove all forms of individual self-expression from requiring or even encouraging registration. Sign the petition and push for freedom of speech and advocate the participation of Saudis in the online global community at every level without governmental interference.

GOT A TIP FOR US? Is there a story or campaign in your area that we'd want to know about? E-mail us athumanrightstips@change.org. Please also follow Change.org's Human Rights page on Facebook andTwitter. Photo credit: Youssef Hanna