Saudi Arabia Blocks 41 Online Newspapers

 (FNA)- Saudi Arabia has banned 41 online newspapers after deadline ends.

Saudi Arabia has decided to ban online local newspapers after they failed to take measures to correct their position and comply with official regulations, an official at the ministry of culture and information was quoted on Monday as saying.

Abdulaziz Al Mulham, spokesperson of the Culture and Information Ministry, told Al Eqtisadiya newspaper that the online newspapers had failed to obtain official permission despite being given extended grace periods for rectification.

He accused some of the blocked online newspapers of operating with hidden agendas.

Before the reported blockage, Saudi Arabia had about 81 newspapers, including print and online, most in Arabic.