Saudi Ministry of Culture blocks The New Arab website

To their surprise, The New Arab readers in Saudi Arabia have been unable to access the website since Monday evening, without any prior warning.

Both the English and Arabic websites (al-Araby al-Jadeed) have been barred in the kingdom.

Any attempts to access the website, results in a message in Arabic and English reading: "Sorry, the requested page is violating the regulations of the Ministry of Culture and Information. To unblock the page, you may send an official request" to the ministry's address.

No clarification has been made from any official side that explains the ban on the website, which has seen a significantly high number of visitors from Saudi Arabia over recent months.