Why a Bunch of Influencers Are Being Criticized for Going on “Vacation” in Saudi Arabia

From Cosmopolitan

If you happen to follow a bunch of models and influencers on Instagram and noticed they were literally all in the same freakin’ place a few days ago, then good for you—you have an incredibly keen sense of observation. But what looked like the most envy-inducing vacation overseas actually turned out to be the MDL Beast festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia—and here’s why that’s extremely controversial.

Saudi Arabia has a long and troubled history of denying its citizens basic human rights. The country has a terrible track record on several important issues: sexual harassment and crimes against women, using capital punishment against members of the LGBTQ+ community, and consistently silencing free speech.

Sadly, that list barely scratches the surface, which is why when Diet Prada called out celebrities, including Irina Shayk and Scott Disick, for attending the MDL Beast Festival this past weekend, people online were understandably upset. Here’s everything you need to know about the drama surrounding the festival and why it’s such a controversial place for influencers to visit in 2019.

What is the MDL Beast Festival?

According to the festival’s official website, “MDL Beast is a three-day festival bringing together the best in electronic music, performing arts, and culinary craft—just outside of Riyadh.” The festival showcased a mixture of Saudi and international talent and treated its attendees to immersive performances and visual spectaculars. It also offered onsite luxury boutiques so attendees could shop between performances.

Which celebrities and influencers attended MDL Beast Festival?

Literally everyone, and that’s not even an exaggeration—Joan Smalls, Elsa Hosk, Armie Hammer, Ryan Philippe, Ed Westwick, Luka Sabbat, Olivia Culpo, Winnie Harlow, Wilmer Valderrama, Alessandra Ambrosio, Sofia Richie, Scott Disick, and Irina Shayk, to name a few.

How much were celebs and influencers offered to attend the festival?

According to Diet Prada’s exposé, anonymous sources revealed that influencers were offered six figures to attend the festival and provide geo-tagged posts. This likely explains why almost none of the stars who attended the festival used any of the usual hallmarks of a partnership deal, like the handshake tool on Instagram or #ad hashtags.

Why were all these celebrities invited to the festival?

In October, British news outlet The Guardian published an article that claimed Saudi Arabia is in the middle of a rehabilitation campaign focused on the country’s image. Part of that rehabilitation includes inviting influencers out to Saudi Arabia to paint a more fun and exciting image for potential tourists (particularly those in Western countries) who may see the country in a negative light.

“The Saudi government is investing so much in trying to reconstruct its image, particularly after the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist who was killed in the Saudi consulate in Turkey,” said Dr. Raihan Ismail, a lecturer of Arab and Islamic studies at the Australian Nationality University.

“If someone goes to Saudi Arabia and sees all the changes that are taking place in Saudi Arabia and how some Saudis, particularly younger Saudis, are enjoying themselves, of course they’re going to say, ‘This is great, the Saudi state is changing its liberalizing.’ But on the other hand, we’re dealing with a very repressive state,” she added.

What are some of the controversial events that have happened in Saudi Arabia?

Sadly, there are too many to list here, but here are a few examples:

• Last year, Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi was brutally killed. Khashoggi was a Saudi dissent (a person who challenges established policies and/or doctrines) who was last seen visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey; it’s believed he was assassinated by the Saudi royal family. As the festival was happening, decisions were being made about the five men who were ultimately sentenced to death for Khashoggi’s killing.

• In August, Loujain al-Hathloul, an imprisoned women’s rights activist in Saudi Arabia, was offered the chance of freedom after serving a year of jail time for advocating for women’s rights but only if she recorded a video statement saying she hadn’t been tortured while she was in jail. She refused.
  

• Three days ago, Twitter had to suspend and remove a whopping 88,000 accounts from its platform because the accounts were all tied to a Saudi Arabian government disinformation campaign. The accounts, according to Twitter, were “aggressively Liking, retweeting, and replying to amplify messages that were favorable to the Saudi government’s interests.”

How are people reacting to the celebrities who attended the MDL Beast Festival?

Not good, to put it simply.

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