YouTube to be Blocked in Egypt for Carrying Anti-Islam Film

YouTube will be blocked in Egypt for 30 days after hosting an anti-Islam video that caused deadly riots. “Judge Hassouna Tawfiq ordered YouTube blocked for carrying the film, which he described as ‘offensive to Islam and the Prophet (Muhammad).’ He made the ruling in the Egyptian capital where the first protests against the film erupted last September before spreading to more than 20 countries, killing more than 50,” reports The Washington Post.

This all comes from the 14-minute trailer for the film “Innocence of Muslims,” which portrays Muhammad as a fraud, womanizer and pedophile. It was produced by an Egyptian-born Christian, now a U.S. citizen.

It is possible that the ruling could be appealed, says the report. It is also possible it might not be enforced at all, based on precedent.

“A spokeswoman for YouTube’s parent company, Google, said in a statement that the firm had ‘received nothing from the judge or government related to this matter,'” notes The Washington Post.

This is a problem in Egypt as its “new constitution includes a ban on insulting ‘religious messengers and prophets.’ Broadly worded blasphemy laws were also in effect under former President Hosni Mubarak prior to his ouster in a popular revolt two years ago,” writes the article.

After the riots broke out, “Google declined requests to remove the video from the website last year, but restricted access to it in certain countries, including Egypt, Libya and Indonesia, because it said the video broke laws in those countries. At the height of the protests in September, YouTube was ordered blocked in several countries, including Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah issued an order blocking all websites with access to the anti-Islam film in the conservative kingdom,” explains the article.

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