‘Evil Flourishes When Good People Do Nothing’: Famed Comedian Joins Protest Against Harsh Shariah Laws in Brunei

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The Beverly Hills Hotel has a rich Hollywood history, but that hasn’t stopped comedians Jay Leno and Ellen DeGeneres, among others, from protesting and speaking out against its owners.

Leno joined protesters across the street from the hotel Monday to decry the fact that the hotel is owned by the oil-rich government of Brunei.

The Southeast Asian nation has been in the headlines of late over the phasing in of new Islamic laws that will enact harsh punishments for homosexuality, abortions and adultery.

Other celebrities like Sharon Osbourne and Richard Branson have also taken to social media to speak out against Brunei’s harsh criminal laws. On April 22, DeGeneres tweeted, “I won’t be visiting the Hotel Bel-Air or the Beverly Hills Hotel until this is resolved” (Brunei also owns Hotel Bel-Air).

Hassanal Bolkiah, sultan of Brunei, began enacting the new Shariah laws this month, which call for a range of punishments, including fines and imprisonment for those who fail to show up for Friday prayers or who get pregnant outside of marriage, the Washington Post reported.