The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has banned Skype, according to the Microsoft-owned company.
“WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS GETTING SKYPE RE-ENABLED”
“It has been brought to our attention that our website and services have been blocked by the ISPs [internet service providers] in the United Arab Emirates. That means you won’t be able to use Skype in the United Arab Emirates,” Skype said on its website. “We are working towards getting Skype re-enabled,” it added. UAE citizens living abroad complained on Twitter about the ban. “It’s so frustrating that Skype is banned in the UAE. How are we meant to conduct interviews and meetings? Such a contradiction in 2021 & 2071 Visions goals,” wrote columnist Sultan Al Qassemi from the Council of Middle East Studies.
In response to advice from UAE citizens to use other communication platforms that require a Virtual Private Network (VPN), Qassemi called on them to obey UAE laws, fearing a backlash from the authorities.
“I don’t encourage anything that goes around the law. I want the authorities to legally allow it. I don’t want anyone to break the law,” said Qassemi, who lives in the US. Calls using Apple’s FaceTime have also been illegal in the UAE for years.
