The world’s biggest comedy stars — including Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Aziz Ansari, Pete Davidson, and others — are performing at the Riyadh Comedy Festival, hosted by Saudi Arabia’s government.

While they cash big checks, the Saudi government is using their appearances to whitewash a brutal record of human rights violations — from the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, to executions of dissidents, to ongoing crackdowns on speech, sexuality, and women’s rights.

This isn’t just about telling jokes in another country. It’s about knowingly participating in a propaganda campaign designed to distract from state-sponsored repression.

These performances are taking place during the seventh anniversary of Khashoggi’s assassination, and just months after journalist Turki al-Jasser was reportedly executed for exposing corruption. Festival organizers even included content restrictions barring comedians from making fun of the royal family, Islam, or the regime — a shocking act of censorship aimed at performers known for their “no-holds-barred” comedy.

We, the undersigned, call on:

Dave Chappelle
Kevin Hart
Aziz Ansari
Pete Davidson
and all performers at the Riyadh Comedy Festival

to:

• Publicly acknowledge the Saudi government’s record of human rights abuse
• Donate the money received from the festival to human rights causes
• Commit to refusing future performances that come with censorship clauses or authoritarian sponsorship
   

One comedian, Nimesh Patel, already backed out after having a change of heart. Others can still make it right — by turning this controversy into an opportunity to stand for something bigger than a paycheck.

We aren’t asking you to be politicians. We’re asking you to be consistent.

You say you speak truth to power — now prove it.