American rapper Nicki Minaj announced on Tuesday that she was canceling her concert scheduled for July 18 in Saudi Arabia, citing her “support” for women’s rights, the LGBTQ community and freedom of expression.

“After careful consideration, I have decided not to perform at Jeddah World Fest,” the festival that takes place in Jeddah on July 18, wrote Nicki Minaj in a statement sent by a spokesperson.

“Even though there is nothing I want more than to present my show to my fans in Saudi Arabia,” she added, “after learning more about it, I think it is important for me to clearly demonstrate my support for women’s rights, the LGBTQ community and freedom of expression. The NGO The Human Rights Foundation called on the artist from Trinidad and Tobago on July 5 to give up this concert.

Regularly implicated for its repression of opponents of the regime

Homosexuals theoretically incur the death penalty in Saudi Arabia. The kingdom has also long been criticized for its treatment of women, who are legally under the control of their father, husband, brother or even son, even if they have recently been granted the right to take a driver’s license.

Saudi Arabia is also regularly blamed for its repression of opponents of the regime. In October, the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, critic of the power, was killed in the premises of the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul by a commando of agents from Riyadh.

Several reports have pointed to the direct responsibility of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in the assassination.

Nicki Minaj, 36, is regularly criticized by feminists who accuse her of portraying herself as a sex object. She nevertheless calls herself a feminist, capable of succeeding in the very masculine world of hip-hop.

Originally posted 2019-07-10 21:47:00.

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