Gulf States threaten to sue Netflix over violation of 'Islamic values'

Sept. 7 (UPI) -- A Gulf State coalition has released a statement threatening to sue Netflix if the streaming service does not remove content that they said violates Islamic values.

The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) said Tuesday that Netflix had content on its platform that "violates the controls of media content in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council."

The GCC, which is made up of Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), added that this content "contradicts Islamic and societal values ​​and principles."

The statement went on to say that the GCC had contacted Netflix about having the content in question removed, and that "the necessary legal measures will be taken" if the streaming service did not comply.

Netflix did not immediately respond to requests for comment from multiple news outlets.

The GCC did not specify which content it was referring to. However, the statement comes following continued anger in some parts of the Middle East over children's content that allegedly promotes homosexuality.

Same-sex relationships are forbidden in Islam, and are criminally punishable in many Gulf Coast nations.

Deadline noted that Saudi state media has tied the content to "depictions of LGBTQIA+ characters," with one official for the country reportedly calling Netflix "an 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 lauded by numerous parties within the GCC, with Bloomberg reporting that UAE attorney Habib Al Mulla praised the move.

This is not the first time that GCC nations have attempted to censor American films and television.

This past June, the UAE -- which The Guardian notes is one of the more liberal countries within the Middle East -- banned the Disney film Lightyear, which contained a same-sex kiss.

Saudia Arabia recently requested that Disney remove "LGBTQ references" from Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, which the studio refused to do. As a result, the film was not screened in the country.