IPA reacts to reports of Amazon censoring search results in UAE

Following reports in the New York Times and The Guardian on the filtering of LGBTQ+ related search results in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), affecting books among other products, Kristenn Einarsson, Chair of the IPA’s Freedom to Publish Committee commented, “A global business like Amazon should not be pressured to introduce this filtering of search results which is essentially censoring books in the UAE. Following the terrible attack in my own country, Norway, it is clear that we need books about LGBTQ+ issues to foster understanding, dialogue, tolerance and ultimately progress. I urge the UAE authorities to reconsider this heavy-handed approach.”