Hollywood Celebs, Designers Boycott Hotels Owned by Sultan of Brunei
Hollywood stars and celebrities have joined human rights groups to boycott hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei, over harsh new Islamic laws he announced this week that include something like an out-of-wedlock pregnancy or skipping prayer services as serious crimes worthy of imprisonment. The Sultan of Brunei owns the Dorchester Collection, the luxury hotel operator that manages the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Hotel Bel-Air, and a number of famous people are using their star power to take a stand against the sultan’s new harsh laws.
Stars like Ellen DeGeneres, Sharon Osbourne, and Stephen Fry have all spoken out on Twitter and encouraged people to boycott the hotels.
I won't be visiting the Hotel Bel-Air or the Beverly Hills Hotel until this is resolved. http://t.co/RqQrLBK4EJ
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) April 22, 2014
Please join me in BOYCOTTING @BevHillsHotel, @HotelBelAir and all @DC_LuxuryHotels. http://t.co/Vr53tTuCld
— Sharon Osbourne (@MrsSOsbourne) April 28, 2014
Cancelled in nick of time: discovered @CoworthParkUK that I was booked into is part of the “Dorchester Collection” http://t.co/r0wq1iVxUZ
— Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) April 26, 2014
Some fashion designers also joined in the boycott. Shoe designer Brian Atwood posted this to Instagram a few weeks ago.
That message was shared by fashion designer Peter Som, who also encouraged a boycott.
In response, a spokesperson for the Dorchester Collection made it clear their hotels are not affected by the actions of their owner.
“We continue to abide by the laws of the countries we operate in and do not tolerate any form of discrimination of any kind. The laws that exist in other countries outside of where Dorchester Collection operates do not affect the policies that govern how we run our hotels. Dorchester Collection’s code, endorsed by the company’s ownership, emphasizes equality, respect and integrity in all areas of our operation, and strongly values people and cultural diversity amongst our guests and employees.”
[h/t US News]
[featured image via Minnaert]
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