Human Rights Watch urges artists at Saudi Arabia's MDLBeast Festival to 'speak out' or 'refuse to participate'
- PublishedWed, Dec 15, 2021, 16:55
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- The non-governmental organisation has called out "attempts to whitewash the country's horrific rights record."
- International organisation Human Rights Watch has called on artists at Saudi Arabia's MDLBeast Festival to "speak out" about the country's human rights abuses or "refuse to participate." Earlier today, December 15th, HRW published an article on its website by a staff member writing under a pseudonym, Arwa Youssef. Acts due to appear at the Riyadh event's second edition this weekend include Move D, Charlotte de Witte, Jeff Mills and Thomas Melchior. "MDL Beast Soundstorm performers and promoters should use their microphones, stages, and screen time to speak out about human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia or refuse to participate in yet another one of Saudi's reputation-laundering schemes," wrote Youssef. As explored in Joe Siltanen's recent opinion piece for Resident Advisor, MDLBeast is "at least partially organized" by Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority. The GEA was created by the government in 2016 to expand its public entertainment sector. "The festival only exists because of its usefulness to the country's irredeemably compromised ruling faction, perfectly aligning with officially stated reputational and tourism ambitions, and valuable as geopolitical PR fodder," Siltanen wrote. Saudi Arabia has perpetrated countless and longstanding human rights abuses, including the torture of political prisoners such as women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul, the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and its role in the devastating Yemeni Civil War, which the UN said "may amount to war crimes." Read the Human Rights Watch article.
- Thu, Dec 16, 2021
MDL Beast Festival 2021
ATFC, Acid Arab, Adam Beyer, Adriatique, Afrojack, Ahmed Zainal, Alesso, Amelie Lens, Amine K, Anfisa Letyago, Armin van Buuren, Artbat, Axwell, Baloo (SA), Bedouin, Benny Benassi, Black Coffee, Black V Neck, BLOND:ISH, Bob Moses, Butch, CamelPhat, Carl Cox, Cassy, Cedric Gervais, Charlotte de Witte, Chemical Surf, Chris Lake, Claptone, DJ Snake, DJ Tennis, DJ Viva, dabous, Daddybisht, David Guetta, Daylomar, Deadmau5, DesertF!sh, Dish Dash, Dubfire, EDX, Eagles & Butterflies, Eli & Fur, Fawazo, Galantis, Gooner, H-Foundation, Hameed, Herodot, HOSH, Hot Since 82, Jamie Jones, Jeff Mills, JEME, JEME, K.LED, KSHMR, Kevin Saunderson, La Fleur, Lee Burridge, Loco Dice, Maceo Plex, Maher Daniel, Major Lazer, Mambo Brothers, Martin Garrix, Matthias Tanzmann, Mind Against, Nic Fanciulli, Nicole Moudaber, Nina Kraviz, Nora En Pure, Omar Fayyad, Paul Kalkbrenner, R3hab, Ricardo Villalobos, Sokkary, Solardo, Solomun, Steve Aoki, Sweely, Talal, Tale Of Us, Tamer, Tarab Electro, tarek anTabi, Tchami, The Blaze, The Chainsmokers, Thomas Melchior, Vintage Culture, Vinyl Mode, Zedd, Zone+28