Justin Bieber urged to boycott Saudi Arabia concert

Mobile billboards urging Justin Bieber to cancel his upcoming concert in Saudi Arabia .
Image via Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Human Rights Foundation – HRF.org)

Khashoggi’s fiancée urges Justin Bieber not to ‘sing for murderers’

The fiancée of Jamal Khashoggi has begged Justin Bieber not to perform in Saudi Arabia as part of a star-studded Formula One concert.

Justin Bieber urged to boycott Saudi Arabia concert

Mobile billboards urging Justin Bieber to cancel his upcoming concert in Saudi Arabia .
Image via Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Human Rights Foundation – HRF.org)

The fiancée of Jamal Khashoggi, allegedly killed on the instruction of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has begged Justin Bieber not to perform in the country next month.

The singer is due to perform in Jeddah at a F1 concert, alongside A$AP Rocky, David Guetta and Jason Derulo.

Journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s death

In 2018, the Saudi Arabian journalist was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Instanbul, Turkey. His death was part of an alleged assassination plot orchestrated by Mohammed bin Salman.

Jamal was the editor of Saudi newspaper Al Watan, and a columnist for The Washington Post and at the time of his death, was in a self-imposed exile.

The author was known for his pieces criticising the Saudi Arabian government.

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Khashoggi’s fiancée: Open letter to Justin Bieber

Hatice Cengiz, Jamal Khashoggi’s fiancée, penned an open letter urging Justin Bieber to skip his concert in Saudi Arabia.

The pop singer is due to perform in Jeddah, the country’s second-largest city on 5 December 2022.

But Hatice is appealing to the star to reconsider and scrap his tour stop altogether. She wrote in a Washington Post open letter; “This is an opportunity to send a powerful message to the world.

“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”.

– Hatice Cengiz

Despite various investigations by intelligence linking Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, he has denied any involvement in the murder.

JUSTIN BIEBER FACES CRITICISM OVER ISRAEL CONCERT

Meanwhile, Justin Bieber is facing mounting pressure from the public to scrap another of his concerts.

The 27-year-old star is due to perform in Israel on 13 October 2022 as part of his Justice World Tour. The date follows his performance in South Africa’s FNB stadium in Johannesburg on 1 October 2022.

But fans of the singer are appealing to him to cancel his concert in the country, hailed as an “Apartheid state”.

Hamas has added their voice to the dialogue, warning the star to boycott the show “in protest of its repeated crimes”.

Women-led organisation Grassroots has also started a petition for the singer to cancel his show.

It said in a statement: “According to Human Rights Watch, the most respected human rights organization in the world, Israel is practicing Apartheid”.

– Grassroots

Justin Bieber – who performed in Israel in 2011 and 2017 – has yet to respond to any of the appeals.