The Syrian regime blocked Al Arabiya’s Arabic website in Syria, in reaction to the publication of the leaked emails of President Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asmaa, as well as the publication of secret documents from a specially set up “Crisis Cell”.
The website “alarabiya.net” was initially only partially blocked in March, following the publication of the leaked emails but it grew to a complete blocking a few days ago.
The blocking of the online platform was also accompanied by dozens of attempts to jam the transmission of Al Arabiya TV on Nilesat. The channel had to offer its viewers alternative frequencies to enable them to watch its continual coverage of the Syrian crisis.
Al Arabiya’s website is widely viewed in Syria according to statistics. Before it was blocked, the website received 77,000 visitors every week, with almost 510,000 page views. Syrians can only visit Al Arabiya’s website using a proxy server.
Al Arabiya English’s Facebook page was hacked by the Syrian electronic army twice in March, following the publication of the English-version of Assad’s leaked emails, as well as hundreds of reports about the violence committed by the Syrian forces against protestors.
Al Arabiya
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