The woman who was engaged to marry the Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi has requested singer Justin Bieber to cancel his performance in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’s second-largest city, which is scheduled to be held on December 5th, telling him not to perform for the Kashoggi’s ‘murderers.’
Hatice Cengiz asked Bieber to cancel the concert in an open letter published in the Washington Post on Saturday, urging him to ‘send a powerful statement to the world that your name and talent will not be used to rehabilitate the reputation of a regime that executes its critics.’
In February, President Joe Biden’s administration released a US intelligence report accusing Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of murdering Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul in 2018, but spared him any direct punishment. The crown prince claims to be uninvolved.
Cengiz wrote, ‘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.’
Bieber, a Canadian, is one of the several singers set to play in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Human rights organisations have urged the singers to speak out against the kingdom’s human rights violations.
Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia has a history of employing celebrities and important international events to shift attention away from its widespread human rights violations.
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