Ellen DeGeneres has added her voice to the growing number of celebrities calling for a boycott of the luxury hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei.
The comedian called on her followers to “spread the word” and “rise up” in a boycott of the nine properties, which include The Dorchester and 45 Park Lane in London, in protest at Brunei’s strict new anti-gay laws.
The harsh new Sharia laws,
which come into force today amid international outcry, include the death penalty for those found engaging in same-sex intercourse.
The nine hotels in the Dorchester Collection are owned by the country’s sovereign wealth fund, the Brunei Investment Agency.
DeGeneres follows
George Clooney, who last week called for a boycott of the hotels in a column for film news site
Deadline.
In his guest column, Clooney wrote: “On this particular 3 April the nation of Brunei will begin stoning and whipping to death any of its citizens that are proved to be gay. Let that sink in. In the onslaught of news where we see the world backsliding into authoritarianism this stands alone.”
Elton John and David Furnish have also called on their followers to boycott the hotels.