Arabic Wikipedia Banned by Syrian Authorities

Syrian Bloggers criticise the most recent ban of Arabic Wikipedia.

SMN No. 3, June 15, 2010

The Syrian authorities reportedly blocked again the Arabic version of Wikipedia after having lifted the ban on the website for about a year.

Wikipedia describes itself as an “online free-content encyclopedia that anyone can edit and contribute to”. The English version of the website is not blocked in Syria.

One blogger, Syrian Citizen, posted on May 26 remarks criticising the ban on Wikipedia Arabic.

He said that last April a group of Syrian bloggers started an online project called “Syrian sunrise on Wikipedia”. The aim of the initiative was to “increase knowledge about Syria and show its wonderful sides”.

Encouraged by the lifting of the official ban on the Arabic version of Wikipedia back then, Syrian bloggers started posting articles on the website on Syrian history, culture and historical sites, he said.

He added that the authorities have resorted again to blocking the website, denying many internet users in Syria “a large source of information”.

He called on officials to stop blocking websites and set clearly the criteria under which sites are banned.

The blogger criticised censors in Syria who, he said, completely undermine the great efforts of Syrians who contribute to the body of knowledge about their country on  the internet.