6 May 2014
Last updated at 19:45 ET
Comedians Jay Leno and Ellen DeGeneres are among the
celebrities supporting the boycott against the Beverly Hills Hotel and
other hotels owned by Brunei.
Brunei's leader, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, announced the first phase of the new penalties last week.
They will eventually include death by stoning for homosexuality and adultery.
The mayor of Beverly Hills has also urged the city to adopt a resolution condemning Brunei's new laws and divesting the country from the hotel and others it owns through the Dorchester Collection chain.
And Virgin group founder Richard Branson tweeted on Saturday his employees and family would not stay at the luxury hotel chain "until the Sultan abides by basic human rights".
Several organisations have cancelled events at the hotel, long a gathering place for Hollywood celebrities, including the Motion Picture & Television Fund's annual Night Before the Oscars charity event and the Feminist Majority Foundation's annual Global Women's Rights Awards.
During a small protest in front of the hotel on Monday, Mr Leno said: "I'd like to think that all people are basically good and when they realise this is going on, hopefully they'll do something about it."
But Christopher Cowdray, the chief executive of the Dorchester Collection chain, said those protesting have ignored local hotels owned by countries with poor human rights records.
"There are other hotel companies in this city that are owned by Saudi Arabia... you know, your shirt probably comes from a country which has human rights issues," Mr Cowdray said, adding a boycott would hurt local employees the most.
The US government has been largely quiet on the change to
Brunei's penal code, but the State Department said on Tuesday it had
privately relayed concerns to the Brunei government.
The tiny state, on the island of Borneo has grown rich on oil and gas exports.
Almost three-quarters of those who live there are Malay Muslims, but there are sizeable Buddhist and Christian communities.
Stars boycott Beverly Hills Hotel over Brunei 'sharia' law
Demonstrators protest over Brunei's new harsh Islamic penal code at the Beverly Hills hotel
Stars
of Hollywood are boycotting one of the area's most famous hotels
because of a harsh Islamic penal code introduced by Brunei's government.
Brunei's leader, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, announced the first phase of the new penalties last week.
They will eventually include death by stoning for homosexuality and adultery.
The mayor of Beverly Hills has also urged the city to adopt a resolution condemning Brunei's new laws and divesting the country from the hotel and others it owns through the Dorchester Collection chain.
Continue reading the main story
The Beverly Hills Hotel is so ingrained in Hollywood culture
that it's hard to imagine it without the stars. The hotel bar, the Polo
Lounge, is one of the best places in town to spot celebrities. The pink
hotel opened in 1912 and has a storied history - Elizabeth Taylor lived
there as a child and also as an adult with Richard Burton. Aviator
Howard Hughes resided on and off for about 30 years and more recently
you could bump into Tom Cruise or Ozzy Osbourne in the lobby. But now
the Motion Picture & Television Fund and the International Women
Media Foundation have said they plan to find another venue for their
glitzy events.
While that will hurt business at the hotel, what remains to be seen is if its celebrity clientele will also take their business elsewhere. So far, this boycott only involves a handful of celebrities.
Analysis
While that will hurt business at the hotel, what remains to be seen is if its celebrity clientele will also take their business elsewhere. So far, this boycott only involves a handful of celebrities.
The city is set to vote on the measure on Tuesday.
Several organisations have cancelled events at the hotel, long a gathering place for Hollywood celebrities, including the Motion Picture & Television Fund's annual Night Before the Oscars charity event and the Feminist Majority Foundation's annual Global Women's Rights Awards.
During a small protest in front of the hotel on Monday, Mr Leno said: "I'd like to think that all people are basically good and when they realise this is going on, hopefully they'll do something about it."
But Christopher Cowdray, the chief executive of the Dorchester Collection chain, said those protesting have ignored local hotels owned by countries with poor human rights records.
"There are other hotel companies in this city that are owned by Saudi Arabia... you know, your shirt probably comes from a country which has human rights issues," Mr Cowdray said, adding a boycott would hurt local employees the most.
Jay Leno speaks at the protest across from the Beverly Hills Hotel
The tiny state, on the island of Borneo has grown rich on oil and gas exports.
Almost three-quarters of those who live there are Malay Muslims, but there are sizeable Buddhist and Christian communities.
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