American comedians at Saudi festival draw backlash from human rights groups – CNN

Report on the Riyadh Comedy Festival and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

This report analyzes the Riyadh Comedy Festival, an event organized by the Saudi Tourism Authority, through the lens of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The festival, featuring prominent international comedians, has generated significant controversy, highlighting a profound conflict between Saudi Arabia’s economic development initiatives and its adherence to fundamental principles outlined in the SDGs, particularly SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Analysis in Relation to SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The primary concerns raised by human rights advocates directly challenge the kingdom’s progress towards SDG 16, which aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.

• Target 16.10 (Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms): The festival is criticized for “whitewashing” the severe repression of free speech. This is evidenced by:
  1. The imprisonment and alleged torture of individuals like Saad Almadi for social media posts critical of the government.
  2. The prohibition placed on performing comedians against making derogatory remarks about Saudi Arabia, religion, or the royal family.
  3. The assessment by Reporters Without Borders that independent media is non-existent and journalists operate under heavy surveillance.
• Target 16.3 (Promote the rule of law and ensure equal access to justice): The event’s timing coincides with the anniversary of the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, an act a US intelligence report linked to the Crown Prince. Critics argue that hosting a major international event serves to deflect from the lack of justice and accountability for this and other human rights abuses, thereby undermining the principles of the rule of law.
• Target 16.6 (Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions): Human rights organizations contend that the festival lends legitimacy to a government that is not accountable or transparent, but rather an “absolute authoritarian dictatorship” where dissent is met with severe punishment, including decades-long prison sentences.

Economic and Partnership Dimensions: SDG 8 and SDG 17

The festival is a component of Saudi Arabia’s broader strategy to achieve economic goals, which can be assessed against SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): The event is part of a state-led push to diversify the economy and promote sustainable tourism. This “soft power” initiative is funded by the state’s sovereign wealth fund, which has also made significant investments in global entertainment, sports, and technology sectors (e.g., LIV Golf, Uber, Electronic Arts).
• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): The participation of high-profile American performers represents a partnership that promotes cultural exchange. However, critics argue these partnerships are problematic as they appear to disregard the kingdom’s failure to uphold other critical goals, particularly those related to human rights and justice (SDG 16). The financial incentives offered to performers raise ethical questions about the nature of these partnerships and their role in legitimizing regimes that violate fundamental freedoms.

Stakeholder Perspectives

A wide range of reactions from stakeholders illustrates the tension between economic opportunity and ethical responsibility.

1. Human Rights Organizations: Groups such as Human Rights Watch and Democracy for the Arab World Now assert that the festival is a tool to “deflect attention” from pervasive human rights violations and that superficial observations of social freedom ignore the severe repression faced by Saudi citizens.
2. Participating Comedians: Some performers defended their involvement, citing financial incentives (Pete Davidson), the opportunity to perform for a new audience (Bill Burr), or by comparing free speech limitations to those in the United States (Dave Chappelle).
3. Critical Comedians: Other comedians, including David Cross and Shane Gillis, publicly condemned the event and rejected offers to perform, citing principled stands against supporting what they termed “the most oppressive regime on earth.”

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  This is the most prominent SDG in the article. The text revolves around human rights abuses, repression of free speech, the assassination of a journalist (Jamal Khashoggi), the execution of another (Turki al-Jasser), and the jailing of activists. These issues directly challenge the principles of peace, justice, and the presence of accountable institutions. The article describes Saudi Arabia as an “absolute authoritarian dictatorship” where critics face severe punishment, highlighting a systemic failure in providing justice and fundamental freedoms.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article connects to this goal through its discussion of Saudi Arabia’s economic strategy. The Riyadh Comedy Festival is presented as an initiative by the “Saudi Tourism Authority as part of the kingdom’s push to attract more visitors.” This, along with massive investments in sports and entertainment (LIV Golf, Vice Media Group), is part of a broader effort to diversify the economy and boost tourism, which are components of SDG 8. However, the criticism is that this economic activity is being used as “soft power” to “whitewash” human rights abuses, raising questions about the sustainability and ethical foundation of this growth.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  This goal is relevant as the article details numerous partnerships between the Saudi government (via its sovereign wealth fund) and international entities. This includes the American comedians performing at the festival and investments in companies like “Penske Media,” “Vice Media Group,” “Uber,” and “Electronic Arts.” The controversy discussed in the article centers on the nature of these partnerships, with critics arguing they lend legitimacy to a repressive regime, thereby undermining the spirit of forming partnerships for sustainable and equitable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 16.10: Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements.

   The article provides extensive evidence of the failure to meet this target. It details the “brutal repression of free speech,” the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and the execution of journalist Turki al-Jasser. It also mentions that “independent media are non-existent in Saudi Arabia, and Saudi journalists live under heavy surveillance.” Furthermore, the festival’s offer to comedian Atsuko Okatsuka included a “prohibition on making jokes or derogatory remarks about Saudi Arabia, religion or the royal family,” which is a direct restriction on fundamental freedoms.

2. Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.

   The lack of accountability for the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi, which a US intelligence report linked to the Crown Prince, points to a failure in upholding the rule of law. The case of Saad Almadi, a dual US-Saudi citizen “imprisoned and reportedly tortured over X posts,” further illustrates the absence of equal access to justice and the arbitrary application of law against critics of the government.

3. Target 8.9: By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.

   The article explicitly states that the Riyadh Comedy Festival “was organized by the Saudi Tourism Authority as part of the kingdom’s push to attract more visitors.” This is a clear example of a policy and event designed to promote tourism. The controversy lies in whether this tourism promotion can be considered “sustainable” when it is accused of deflecting attention from human rights violations.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 16.10.1: Number of verified cases of killing, kidnapping, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention and torture of journalists, associated media personnel, trade unionists and human rights advocates.

  The article provides specific cases that would be counted under this indicator. It explicitly mentions:

  • The “assassination of Washington Post columnist and Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi.”
  • The execution of “Saudi journalist Turki al-Jasser.”
  • The imprisonment and reported torture of “Saad Almadi, a 75-year-old dual US-Saudi citizen” over social media posts.

  These examples serve as direct, qualitative evidence related to this indicator.

• Indicator for Target 16.10 (Freedom of Speech):

  While not a formal UN indicator, the article implies a measure of the state of free speech through the contractual restrictions placed on performers. The mention that the festival’s offer included a “prohibition on making jokes or derogatory remarks about Saudi Arabia, religion or the royal family” is a clear indicator of the legal and practical limits on freedom of expression in the country.

• Indicator for Target 8.9 (Tourism Promotion):

  The article implies indicators for tourism promotion by describing the scale of the government’s efforts. The Riyadh Comedy Festival is styled as “the world’s largest comedy festival,” featuring “more than 50 star comedians.” The scale and international profile of such events serve as an indicator of the implementation of policies to promote tourism.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: cnn.com