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Netflix accused of censorship for withdrawing episode in Saudi Arabia

At the center of the controversy is a satirical episode titled "Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj," in which the American comedian talks about the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and criticizes Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as well as the military campaign led by Arabia Saudi in Yemen.
"It's time to re-evaluate our relationship with Saudi Arabia," said political humorist and commentator Hasan Minhaj, who was born to an Indian family of Muslim origin during the episode hosted by the world's largest online movie and series distribution platform.
In the episode, Hasan Minhaj adds that "there are people in Saudi Arabia who are fighting for real reforms, but Mohammed bin Salman is not one of them."
According to the Financial Times, Netflix ended the episode after receiving a request from the kingdom to do so, with the justification for the video violating a law against cyber crimes.
"We strongly support artistic freedom around the world and we only removed this episode in Saudi Arabia after receiving a valid legal request under local law," Netflix confirmed in statements to the Financial Times.
Karen Attiah, author and editor of Global Opinions for the Washington Post, who edited Jamal Khashoggi's paper for the paper, called the measure "scandalous."
The writer's position was joined by many netizens who shouted censorship on Twitter.
Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist critical of the Government of Saudi Arabia, was brutally murdered in early October by Saudi agents at his country's consulate in Istanbul.
Three months after his death, the journalist's body has not yet been found. The Turkish authorities revealed that the body had been dismembered and removed from the consulate, but doubts remain about the case. Lusa Agency