7th of September — A Gulf State group has threatened to sue Netflix if the streaming provider does not delete content that they claim breaches Islamic values.
The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) claimed Tuesday that Netflix’s platform had content that “violates the regulations on media content in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.”
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which includes Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said that this information “contradicts Islamic and society values and principles.”
The statement went on to add that the GCC had contacted Netflix about having the content removed, and that if the streaming site did not comply, “the required legal steps will be taken.”
Netflix did not immediately reply to several news outlets’ requests for comment.
The GCC did not indicate whatever content was in question. The announcement, however, comes amid persistent outrage in some regions of the Middle East over children’s programming that supposedly promotes homosexuality.
Same-sex partnerships are forbidden in Islam and are illegal in several Gulf Coast countries.
Same-sex partnerships are forbidden in Islam and are illegal in several Gulf Coast countries.
According to Deadline, Saudi state media has linked the content to “depictions of LGBTQIA+ characters,” with one country official even branding Netflix a “official sponsor of homosexuality.”
Additionally, Saudi state TV channel Al-Ekhbariya reportedly aired segments decrying Netflix’s content. According to The Guardian, this included an interview in which a prominent Saudi lawyer said that the content was “very unfortunate and painful clips for our children, grandchildren and the next generation.”
Al-Ekhbariya also reportedly showed a scene from the animated series Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous that depicted two female characters kissing as an example of this “violating content.”
The GCC’s statement was hailed by a number of GCC members, including UAE attorney Habib Al Mulla, according to Bloomberg.
This is not the first time GCC countries have attempted to restrict American films and television shows.
The UAE, which The Guardian says is one of the more liberal countries in the Middle East, banned the Disney picture Lightyear, which featured a same-sex kiss, in June.
Saudi Arabia recently asked Disney to delete “LGBTQ connotations” from Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, but the company refused. As a result, the movie was not shown in the country.