Aziz Ansari’s Saudi Arabia Performance Sparks Human Rights Debate

During a recent late-night television appearance, comedian Aziz Ansari addressed his controversial decision to perform at the Riyadh Comedy Festival, announcing plans to donate a portion of his earnings to organizations supporting free press and human rights.

However, Human Rights Watch has publicly declined any potential contribution.

Joey Shea, Saudi Arabia researcher at Human Rights Watch, confirmed to media outlets that no donation has been received from Ansari. More significantly, she stated the organization would reject any such contribution from him or any other comedians who participated in the state-sponsored comedy festival held in Saudi Arabia.

Organizational Funding Policies

Shea clarified that the organization “cannot accept government funding directly or indirectly, and we maintain strict guidelines regarding private funding acceptance as well.”

Rather than seeking monetary contributions, Human Rights Watch wants the comedians to publicly advocate for the release of Saudi human rights defenders, including Manahel al-Otaibi and Waleed Abulkhair, who remain imprisoned by the government.

Shea revealed her organization contacted the performing comedians privately, including Ansari, providing a list of imprisoned defenders in hopes they would draw public attention to those facing persecution.

“We believe if you’re performing and accepting Saudi government compensation for a state-backed festival, you bear responsibility to mitigate the impacts of that reputation laundering,” Shea explained. “For that purpose, we suggested publicly calling for the release of these Saudi human rights defenders.”

Television Interview Addresses Criticism

During his interview, the late-night host challenged Ansari about his performance at the event, describing Saudi Arabia as a “pretty brutal regime” that has “done numerous horrible things.”

“People are questioning why you would travel there and accept their money to perform before these audiences,” the host asked Ansari. “I’m curious about your reasoning for that decision.”

“There are people there who disagree with government actions, and attributing the government’s worst behavior onto those individuals isn’t fair,” responded Ansari, who emphasized he had carefully considered the decision.

Political Context

The country operates under an Islamic regime essentially controlled by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who faces multiple accusations of human rights violations, including the 2018 state-sponsored killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He has denied any involvement in the murder.

Representatives for Ansari have been contacted for additional comment.

Future Controversies on the Horizon

The next Saudi Arabia-related controversy may arrive in December, when a music festival called Soundstorm takes place in Riyadh. Post Malone and Benson Boone are currently scheduled as headline performers.

The ongoing debate highlights the complex ethical considerations entertainers face when deciding whether to perform in countries with questionable human rights records, particularly when events are government-sponsored. While performers may argue they’re reaching audiences beyond governmental policies, human rights organizations emphasize the importance of using such platforms to advocate for imprisoned activists and dissidents rather than simply accepting financial compensation.