Earlier this year the so-called Saudi Arabian ‘dish ban’ was widely reported to have been lifted, with key regional broadcasters like ART and Orbit publicly welcoming the relaxation of rules. Now it seems the relaxation‚ pendulum is seen as having swung too far. The Saudi Arabian ministry of information, which monitors and censors media-related matters in the Kingdom, issued a statement on July 17 warning against the selling or producing of satellite decoders or smartcards. The statement also listed the penalties that would be levied against retailers, which included:

• Closing down the shop for a month,
• A Fine of 20,000 Saudi Riyals ($1=SR 3.75),
• Confiscating equipment
• Shop and the owners will be subject to defamation

Bizarrely, authorities also stated the would be “seeking written commitment from those who smuggle the cards and ask them to pay for the damages resulting from such practice.”

It is not yet clear whether this banning order refers to established Arab satellite broadcasters, each of which has established links into the Saudi Arabian inner circle‚ royal family, or to IRDs and smartcards able to decode pornography coming into the region. There are also some suggestions that internet-by-satellite companies like Showtime affiliate Shownet might also be causing anxieties for the authorities.