{"id":92443,"date":"2019-07-09T14:25:26","date_gmt":"2019-07-09T18:25:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/nicki-minaj-pulls-out-of-saudi-arabia-concert-citing-lgbtq-womens-rights-abuses\/"},"modified":"2019-07-09T14:25:26","modified_gmt":"2019-07-09T18:25:26","slug":"nicki-minaj-pulls-out-of-saudi-arabia-concert-citing-lgbtq-womens-rights-abuses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/nicki-minaj-pulls-out-of-saudi-arabia-concert-citing-lgbtq-womens-rights-abuses\/","title":{"rendered":"Nicki Minaj Pulls Out of Saudi Arabia Concert, Citing LGBTQ, Women\u2019s Rights Abuses"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nicki Minaj Pulls Out of Saudi Arabia Concert, Citing LGBTQ, Women\u2019s Rights Abuses<\/b><\/p>\n

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Nicki Minaj has pulled out of a concert at Jeddah World Fest<\/a> in Saudi Arabia, citing the country\u2019s poor record on LGBTQ rights and women<\/a>\u2019s rights, and its limits on freedom of expression.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter careful reflection I have decided to no longer move forward with my scheduled concert at Jeddah World Fest,\u201d said Minaj to the AP<\/a>. \u201cWhile I want nothing more than to bring my show to fans in Saudi Arabia, after better educating myself on the issues, I believe it is important for me to make clear my support for the rights of women<\/a>, the LGBTQ community and freedom of expression.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Human Rights Foundation called on Minaj to pull out in a statement last week<\/a>: \u201cThe\u00a0Human Rights Foundation\u00a0(HRF) considers the Saudi regime to be one of the world\u2019s worst human rights violators and has contacted Minaj, urging her to cancel her performance, refuse the regime\u2019s money, and instead use her global influence to issue a statement demanding the release of the Saudi women<\/a> activists who are currently in prison. Minaj,\u00a0who took part in World Pride festivities<\/a>\u00a0in her hometown of New York City last month to celebrate LGBTQ rights, will be performing in a country where homosexuality is punishable by imprisonment or death. In April of this year,\u00a0at least five men were executed<\/a>\u00a0by the Saudi regime for admitting to sexual relations with other men<\/a> after enduring months of torture.\u201d<\/p>\n

Said HRF president and founder Thor Halvorssen: \u201cWhat is Nicki Minaj thinking? How does she participate at World Pride one week and then hop on a jet to collect millions from a regime that beheaded five gay<\/a> men<\/a> this past April? There is no good reason for Minaj to do business with the Saudi dictatorship. If she proceeds with the show, she will be whitewashing the vast array of human rights crimes committed by MBS including torture, rape, extrajudicial assassination, and the slaughter of innocent civilians. HRF\u2019s hope is that Minaj, Liam Payne, and the other headliners will prioritize morals over money, cancel their scheduled performances in Jeddah, and instead use their considerable fame to issue public statements of solidarity with the millions of women<\/a> living under the oppressive rule of MBS. If Minaj does decide to perform in Jeddah, she should do so only under the condition that the Saudi regime release\u00a0Loujain al-Hathloul<\/a>,\u00a0Samar Badawi<\/a>,\u00a0Nassima al-Saddah<\/a>, and the rest of the Saudi women<\/a>\u2019s rights activists who have been targeted, harassed, imprisoned, tortured, and sexually assaulted by the government.\u201d<\/p>\n

The post Nicki Minaj Pulls Out of Saudi Arabia Concert, Citing LGBTQ, Women\u2019s Rights Abuses<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad Gay News<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Nicki Minaj Pulls Out of Saudi Arabia Concert, Citing LGBTQ, Women’s Rights Abuses<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n