SCOTS DJ Calvin Harris has been slammed for agreeing to perform at a music festival in Saudi Arabia by human rights groups.
The Dumfries-born artist is set to take to the stage at the MDLBeast Soundstorm event in Riyadh in December.Amnesty International UK criticised the move and called on the DJ to speak out about human rights abuses in the country.
“Underneath the high-gloss entertainment spectacles the Saudi authorities have spent millions on, the much darker reality is of widespread torture, unfair trials, mass executions and a total crackdown on freedom of expression. Many UK football players have been criticised for playing in the Saudi league, particularly former Liverpool player Jordan Henderson .
“The Saudi regime is notorious for using celebrities and athletes to whitewash its image, pouring vast amounts of money into sports and cultural events. Rocker Stewart , 78, told how he rejected £1m to play in Qatar, but his team declined to say how much he had been offered to play in Saudi Arabia.“I’m grateful that I have a choice whether or not to perform in Saudi Arabia," Stewart said.“I’d like my choice not to go to shine a light on the injustices there and ignite positive change.”We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories.
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