Khashoggi's Fiancée Urges Justin Bieber to Cancel Performance in Saudi Arabia

Among other global superstars scheduled to perform at the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah are Jason Derulo, David Guetta, Tiesto and A$AP Rocky. All of the artists have received calls from Human Rights Watch to cancel their performances and thus "follow through on their public commitments to human rights and social justice".

The fiancée of late Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Hatice Cengiz, has urged Canadian pop star Justin Bieber to refrain from performing in Saudi Arabia in December and instead "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".

Cengiz' open letter to the iconic singer was published in The Washington Post.

"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", she wrote. "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."

Khashoggi, a Saudi-born journalist, went missing in 2018. It was later revealed that he'd been killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The Saudi government has denied any involvement in the tragic incident.

Cengiz' letter comes as Bieber, along with a slew of other global celebrities, is due to perform in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in early December, as the country hosts the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Among those invited to sing at the event are Jason Derulo, A$AP Rocky, Tiesto and David Guetta, and all of the celebrities have received calls from Human Rights Watch to call their appearances off.

"Saudi Arabia has a history of using celebrities and major international events to deflect scrutiny from its pervasive abuses. Some celebrities, including Emily Ratajkowski and John Cena, have declined gigs in Saudi Arabia, citing a concern for human rights", the organisation said. "Bieber and his peer headliners have a prime opportunity to follow through on their public commitments to human rights and social justice."

None of the artists has commented on the calls. For Bieber, this is not the only call to cancel his appearance, as last week Hamas urged him to scrap his concert in Tel Aviv, Israel, and even boycott the Jewish state over its "crimes against the Palestinian people".