A number of the world's most luxurious hotels have deleted their social media accounts in light of the backlash against the owner. The Sultan of Brunei owns nine luxury five-star hotels within the Dorchester Collection. These establishments have come under scrutiny due to the Sultan's recent enforcement of a law that prescribes death by stoning for homosexuality and adultery. On Wednesday, eight hotels, including the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles and The Dorchester in London, erased their social media profiles, coinciding with the implementation of this controversial law.
On March 28th, celebrities George Clooney and Ellen DeGeneres publicly called for a boycott of these hotels. The backlash was immediate, leading to the disappearance of several Twitter accounts associated with the following hotels:
- The Beverly Hills Hotel (Los Angeles)
- Hotel Bel-Air (Los Angeles)
- The Dorchester (London)
- 45 Park Lane (London)
- Coworth Park (Ascot, UK)
- Le Meurice (Paris)
- Hotel Plaza Athénée (Paris)
- Hotel Principe di Savoia (Milan)
Additionally, Paris's Le Meurice and Rome's Hotel Eden chose to make their Instagram accounts private in response to the growing criticism.
In an op-ed published on the entertainment news site Deadline, George Clooney articulated the reasons behind the boycott. He emphasized that every time patrons spend money at these hotels, they inadvertently support a regime that punishes its own citizens with extreme measures for their sexual orientation or perceived moral failings.
The recent legal changes represent the first significant alteration to Brunei's laws since the introduction of Sharia law in 2014. Under this strict Islamic legal framework, various offenses are met with severe penalties, including the amputation of limbs for theft and even the death penalty for certain drug offenses. Alcohol consumption is prohibited, and those who have children out of wedlock face jail time.
Since gaining independence from British rule in 1984, homosexuality has remained illegal in Brunei, a nation home to over 400,000 people. Ironically named "Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace," the country is governed by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, who has amassed a fortune of approximately $20 billion since becoming the head of state in 1967. Brunei is located on the northwest coast of Borneo and is known for its oil production.
In response to the backlash, the Dorchester Collection released a statement on Twitter, asserting that it "does not tolerate any form of discrimination." This statement reflects the ongoing struggle between luxury brands and their social responsibilities in the face of political controversies.
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