Comedian Hasan Minhaj responded Wednesday to Netflix's decision to take an episode of his show "Patriot Act" off its platform in Saudi Arabia after the government complained it was critical of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (Photo: @Complex/Twitter)
After Netflix Pulls Episode at Saudi Request, Comic Hasan Minhaj Urges Donations for Suffering Yemen
While Saudi Arabia attempts to ban content critical of its crown prince, "Let's not forget that the world's largest humanitarian crisis is happening in Yemen right now."
Taking advantage of the recent attention brought to his Netflix series "Patriot Act" by the Saudi government's objection to an episode that criticized Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, comedian Hasan Minhaj called on supporters to contribute to aid efforts in Yemen while mocking the prince's insistence that the episode be banned in Saudi Arabia.
On Tuesday, on Saudi orders, Netflix removed from its Saudi platform a "Patriot Act" episode released shortly after the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents--which the CIA concluded was ordered by bin Salman, often called MbS--because Minhaj discussed the need for the U.S. to cut ties with the Saudis in light of the murder. However, the episode remained on YouTube in the country and is still available on Netflix outside Saudi Arabia.
Minhaj mocked the Saudis for drawing attention to content they claimed was harmful to their government, while asking his fans to donate to the International Rescue Committee's (IRC) efforts to fight famine and disease in Yemen, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed by the Saudi's U.S.-backed military campaign.
In the episode, Minhaj slammed bin Salman and the Saudi government for continuing to deny that they had orchestrated Khashoggi's murder even after the CIA conducted an exhaustive investigation and came to its conclusion--which was quickly dismissed by President Donald Trump, who said he would not cut ties with the Saudis.
"MbS asked, 'Why the outrage?' and frankly, MbS' confusion is completely understandable," Minhaj said. "He has been getting away with autocratic shit like [Khashoggi's killing] for years with almost no blowback from the international community."
Contrary to praise that's been heaped on the young prince by elite members of the international community who have called him a "reformer" and a "modernizer," Minhaj criticized MbS directly in the episode, saying, "The only thing he's modernizing is Saudi dictatorship."
The episode, communications officials told Netflix, violated the country's anti-cybercrime law, banning online material that the government deems threatening to "public order, religious values, public morals, and privacy," and the streaming service called the order to pull the content a "valid legal request."
The move was condemned not only by Minhaj, but human rights and free speech advocacy groups as well.
"Saudi Arabia's censorship of Netflix using a cyber-crime law comes as no surprise, and is further proof of a relentless crackdown on freedom of expression in the Kingdom," said Samah Hadid, campaigns director for Amnesty International in the Middle East. "By bowing to the Saudi Arabian authorities' demands, Netflix is in danger of facilitating the Kingdom's zero-tolerance policy on freedom of expression and assisting the authorities in denying people's right to freely access information."
"Banning a comedy act that brings valid criticism of a government is a counterproductive measure and an affront to the freedom of expression that all citizens deserve," said Jillian C. York of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a free speech and digital rights group.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Taking advantage of the recent attention brought to his Netflix series "Patriot Act" by the Saudi government's objection to an episode that criticized Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, comedian Hasan Minhaj called on supporters to contribute to aid efforts in Yemen while mocking the prince's insistence that the episode be banned in Saudi Arabia.
On Tuesday, on Saudi orders, Netflix removed from its Saudi platform a "Patriot Act" episode released shortly after the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents--which the CIA concluded was ordered by bin Salman, often called MbS--because Minhaj discussed the need for the U.S. to cut ties with the Saudis in light of the murder. However, the episode remained on YouTube in the country and is still available on Netflix outside Saudi Arabia.
Minhaj mocked the Saudis for drawing attention to content they claimed was harmful to their government, while asking his fans to donate to the International Rescue Committee's (IRC) efforts to fight famine and disease in Yemen, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed by the Saudi's U.S.-backed military campaign.
In the episode, Minhaj slammed bin Salman and the Saudi government for continuing to deny that they had orchestrated Khashoggi's murder even after the CIA conducted an exhaustive investigation and came to its conclusion--which was quickly dismissed by President Donald Trump, who said he would not cut ties with the Saudis.
"MbS asked, 'Why the outrage?' and frankly, MbS' confusion is completely understandable," Minhaj said. "He has been getting away with autocratic shit like [Khashoggi's killing] for years with almost no blowback from the international community."
Contrary to praise that's been heaped on the young prince by elite members of the international community who have called him a "reformer" and a "modernizer," Minhaj criticized MbS directly in the episode, saying, "The only thing he's modernizing is Saudi dictatorship."
The episode, communications officials told Netflix, violated the country's anti-cybercrime law, banning online material that the government deems threatening to "public order, religious values, public morals, and privacy," and the streaming service called the order to pull the content a "valid legal request."
The move was condemned not only by Minhaj, but human rights and free speech advocacy groups as well.
"Saudi Arabia's censorship of Netflix using a cyber-crime law comes as no surprise, and is further proof of a relentless crackdown on freedom of expression in the Kingdom," said Samah Hadid, campaigns director for Amnesty International in the Middle East. "By bowing to the Saudi Arabian authorities' demands, Netflix is in danger of facilitating the Kingdom's zero-tolerance policy on freedom of expression and assisting the authorities in denying people's right to freely access information."
"Banning a comedy act that brings valid criticism of a government is a counterproductive measure and an affront to the freedom of expression that all citizens deserve," said Jillian C. York of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a free speech and digital rights group.
Taking advantage of the recent attention brought to his Netflix series "Patriot Act" by the Saudi government's objection to an episode that criticized Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, comedian Hasan Minhaj called on supporters to contribute to aid efforts in Yemen while mocking the prince's insistence that the episode be banned in Saudi Arabia.
On Tuesday, on Saudi orders, Netflix removed from its Saudi platform a "Patriot Act" episode released shortly after the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents--which the CIA concluded was ordered by bin Salman, often called MbS--because Minhaj discussed the need for the U.S. to cut ties with the Saudis in light of the murder. However, the episode remained on YouTube in the country and is still available on Netflix outside Saudi Arabia.
Minhaj mocked the Saudis for drawing attention to content they claimed was harmful to their government, while asking his fans to donate to the International Rescue Committee's (IRC) efforts to fight famine and disease in Yemen, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed by the Saudi's U.S.-backed military campaign.
In the episode, Minhaj slammed bin Salman and the Saudi government for continuing to deny that they had orchestrated Khashoggi's murder even after the CIA conducted an exhaustive investigation and came to its conclusion--which was quickly dismissed by President Donald Trump, who said he would not cut ties with the Saudis.
"MbS asked, 'Why the outrage?' and frankly, MbS' confusion is completely understandable," Minhaj said. "He has been getting away with autocratic shit like [Khashoggi's killing] for years with almost no blowback from the international community."
Contrary to praise that's been heaped on the young prince by elite members of the international community who have called him a "reformer" and a "modernizer," Minhaj criticized MbS directly in the episode, saying, "The only thing he's modernizing is Saudi dictatorship."
The episode, communications officials told Netflix, violated the country's anti-cybercrime law, banning online material that the government deems threatening to "public order, religious values, public morals, and privacy," and the streaming service called the order to pull the content a "valid legal request."
The move was condemned not only by Minhaj, but human rights and free speech advocacy groups as well.
"Saudi Arabia's censorship of Netflix using a cyber-crime law comes as no surprise, and is further proof of a relentless crackdown on freedom of expression in the Kingdom," said Samah Hadid, campaigns director for Amnesty International in the Middle East. "By bowing to the Saudi Arabian authorities' demands, Netflix is in danger of facilitating the Kingdom's zero-tolerance policy on freedom of expression and assisting the authorities in denying people's right to freely access information."
"Banning a comedy act that brings valid criticism of a government is a counterproductive measure and an affront to the freedom of expression that all citizens deserve," said Jillian C. York of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a free speech and digital rights group.