Celebs call for boycotts over Brunei’s new laws

Celebrities are lashing the Sultan of Brunei on social media over the country’s new brutal laws that call for the death penalty for gay sex and adultery.

Brunei is due to enact legislation this week, making those found guilty of adultery or same-sex acts liable to whipping or stoning to death and now British pop musician Elton John has joined actor George Clooney in calling for a boycott of nine hotels owned by the sultan in protest. The 72-year-old musician took to Twitter after actor George Clooney highlighted the issue in a website posting last week.

“I commend my friend, #GeorgeClooney, for taking a stand against the anti-gay discrimination and bigotry taking place in the nation of #Brunei – a place where gay people are brutalised, or worse – by boycotting the Sultan’s hotels,” John said in a tweet.

Here are the hotels to boycott:

The Dorchester, London
45 Park Lane, London
Coworth Park, UK
The Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills
Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles
Le Meurice, Paris
Hotel Plaza Athenee, Paris
Hotel Eden, Rome
Hotel Principe di Savoia, Mi

Elton xx

— Elton John (@eltonofficial) March 30, 2019

Clooney wrote a guest column for website Deadline last week, citing the importance of the date in early April.

“But this April 3rd will hold its own place in history. On this particular April 3rd, the nation of Brunei will begin stoning and whipping to death any of its citizens that are proved to be gay,” he said. “Let that sink in. In the onslaught of news where we see the world backsliding into authoritarianism, this stands alone.”

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