"We would never allow anything that is disrespectful to the country or the president, causes security problems, insults religions, exhibits immorality like nudity or promotes vices like alcohol and drugs, " Aleem Jumaa of the Dubai censorship office told the agency.

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The former president of the Canadian Science Writers' Association, Veronique Morin, says that the commissioner's office will now have to find out if the federal government has in effect been operating a policy of censorship.

BBC: Has Canada's government been muzzling its scientists?