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The episode of the news-comedy program in
question criticized the country over the slaying of Washington
Post journalist Jamal Kashoggi last year at the kingdom's
consulate in Turkey.
Kashoggi had been an outspoken critic of the kingdom and of
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Financial Times and other
media reported. The kingdom has since acknowledged publicly that
the reporter, who was a permanent U.S. resident, died in its
custody.
Netflix officials were not immediately available for comment and
no statement was posted on its official corporate, Facebook or
Twitter sites.
Saudi Arabia officials also were not immediately available for
comment.
But in a statement to the Financial Times and other media,
Netflix confirmed that it removed the episode in Saudi Arabia
last week after the kingdom's Communications and Information
Technology Commission asked that it be removed because it
allegedly violated the kingdom's anti-cyber crime law.
"We strongly support artistic freedom and removed this episode
only in Saudi Arabia after we received a valid legal request -
and to comply with local law," a Netflix official said in a
statement to the Hollywood Reporter publication.
In the episode, first aired in the U.S. in October, Minhaj said,
"Now would be a good time to reassess our relationship with
Saudi Arabia. And I mean that as a Muslim and as an American."
He also criticized the kingdom for its involvement in the Yemen
war and described it as being autocratic.
The New York Times reported that the episode is still available
in Saudi Arabia on the YouTube platform.
(Reporting by Rich McKay; Editing by Robert Birsel)
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