Application Comment Details

The Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) is the information and communications technology sector (ICT) regulator in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (SA).

Amongst its roles and responsibilities include:

• Granting licenses in the ICT sector

• Protection of users’ rights

• Setting service quality standards

• Preparation of policies, regulatory frameworks and studies of ICT sector in SA

• domain name administration in SA

• Increasing the information security awareness level in SA

• Supervision of the National Committee for Information Society in SA

This application is sensitive as the applied-for gTLD/IDN string represents the Arabic word for Catholic.

The term .كاثوليك (.Catholic) has been incorporated into the name of the largest Christian communion, the Catholic Church (also called the Roman Catholic Church). However, many other Christians use the term "Catholic" to refer more broadly to the whole Christian Church regardless of denominational affiliation. Other Christian communions lay claim to the term "Catholic" such as the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox Church.

We do not believe that the applied-for gTLD/IDN string (.كاثوليك or .Catholic) should be under the control of one church which cannot, and does not, represent every Catholic communion.

Further, we believe that any and all gTLD/IDN applications for any name in relation to religion or a specific community or religion should be presented to the whole of that community for evaluation before an application is denied or granted. If this cannot be accomplished then such names should be restricted completely from being used as gTLDs/IDNs.

Failure to do so would give the use and control of an important religious name to one group, unjustly elevating its influence above others and permit that group to solely represent a spectrum of different churches.

The current applicant cannot demonstrate that it possesses a monopoly over the term "Catholic" nor can it demonstrate that its intended ownership of that term is accepted by Catholics around the world.

To allow this string to be registered may be offensive to many people and societies on religious grounds.

Therefore, we respectfully request that ICANN not award this gTLD/IDN string.