Human Rights Watch has said comedian Azis Ansari’s performance at the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia was no laughing matter—and that they won’t be accepting his proposed donation.

The top international rights organization has said they “cannot accept” money from Ansari or any of the other “over 50 global stand-up legends” who appeared on stage in the Middle Eastern kingdom.

Instead, the organization has called on the performers to use their platforms to petition Saudi authorities to free detained dissidents, journalists, and human rights activists imprisoned in the country.

“Aziz Ansari and other comedians have generously offered to donate part of their performance fees to rights groups like Human Rights Watch, but while we cannot accept, it is not too late for them to call fo

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