Photo Credit: Formula 1
Justin Bieber and Jason Derulo are scheduled to perform at the upcoming Saudi Arabia Grand Prix. But Khashoggi’s fiance is asking Bieber to reconsider his performance.
Hatice Cengiz published her opinion piece in The Washington Post, for whom Jamal Khashoggi was a contributing columnist. Khashoggi was brutally murdered at a Saudi consulate in Istanbul, by men acting on the orders of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“Cancel your December 5 performance in Saudi Arabia,” Cengiz writes. “This is a unique opportunity to send a powerful message to the world that your name and talent will not be used to restore the reputation of a regime that kills its critics.”
“Please know that your invitation to participate in a concert in Jiddah comes directly from MBS, as the crown prince is known. Nothing of significance happens in Saudi Arabia without his consent, and certainly not an event as important and flashy as this. Your face is even featured on the event’s website with his – the executioner of my fiance, Jamal.”
“Do not sing for the murderers of my beloved Jamal. Please speak out and condemn his killer, Mohammed bin Salman. Your voice will be heard by millions. If you refuse to be a pawn of MBS, your message will be loud and clear: I do not perform for dictators. I choose justice and freedom over money.”
Cengiz’s call at the end is poignant, considering Bieber’s latest album is called Justice. This is not the only call Justin Bieber faces to boycott a performance in Saudi Arabia.
Last week, the Human Rights Foundation urged the singer to cancel his appearance at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix “as a symbol of solidarity with the ongoing suffering of the Saudi people.” The HRF detailed some of the human rights abuses committed by the Saudi regime in that letter.
Mobile billboards also circulated all over downtown Los Angeles in front of the Microsoft Theater, where the American Music Awards were held last night. TMZ caught pictures of the billboards, which featured the website wtfjustin.com and the hashtags #wtfjustin and #saudipawn.
Justin Bieber hasn’t promoted his appearance at the Saudi Grand Prix beyond promotional images for the events. His official social media channels haven’t mentioned the December 5 performance in Saudi Arabia.
