Andy Cohen & Bravo Accused Of Aiding Dubai’s Dictatorship & Human Rights Violations With New ‘Real Housewives Of Dubai’ Spin-Off

Andy Cohen, Real Housewives Of Dubai Cast

Andy Cohen & Bravo Accused Of Aiding Dubai’s Dictatorship & Human Rights Violations With New ‘Real Housewives Of Dubai’ Spin-Off

Bravo and executive producer Andy Cohen are under fire for their new Housewives installment.

According to reports, a group of 12 human rights organizations recently banded together, issuing a joint letter disapproving of the networks upcoming reality series, Real Housewives Of Dubai. The letter, addressed to Andy Cohen, Bravo, it’s parent company NBC Universal, and production company Truly Original, accuse RHOD of covering up the emirate’s legal abuse against women and people of the LGBT+ community.

Explaining concerns over filming in the United Arab Emirates, the group wrote:

“We are deeply concerned by your decision to produce and launch the latest edition of the Real Housewives series in Dubai. Dubai is an absolute monarchy that is part of the dictatorship of the United Arab Emirates (UAE),”

Then continued:

“By setting the Real Housewives franchise inside Dubai, you are helping the UAE dictatorship hide its male rulers’ misogyny, legalized homophobia, and mass violence against women.”

Real Housewives Of Dubai Cast

Further down in the letter, the joint organizations offer a list of demands to showcase Bravo’s dedication to opposing Dubai’s human rights violations. Included, is that Bravo reveals if the rulers of Dubai funded the program in anyway, and calls for the network to run disclaimer on every episode standing firm against Dubai’s “dictatorship’s misogyny, homophobia, women’s rights violations, and war in Yemen.”

Additionally, the group references recent incidents that highlight the abuse of power by Dubai’s rulers. One specific reference was to Dubai’s absolute ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum kidnapping and holding his daughter for over 20 years after attempting to flee to the U.K. Another, highlights Sheikh Mohammed’s abuse of his wife for the same reason.

Concluding, the letter read:

“As these examples reveal, the dictatorship of the United Arab Emirates and Dubai is a deeply flawed choice for the Real Housewives series. By producing and launching the Real Housewives of Dubai, you risk providing the rulers of the UAE and Dubai with the soft propaganda they need to hide their human rights crimes from the world.”

And continued:

“We urge you to immediately take the above steps to demonstrate your rejection of the human rights violations, homophobia, and predatory male behavior of the rulers of the United Arab Emirates and Dubai.”

A trailer for the series, premiering on Bravo June 1st, was released over the weekend with cast members stating:

 “Anything is possible in Dubai, it’s a land of opportunity….In Dubai the women are far from submissive, most of the women are running the town.”

[VIA]

Do you agree with the humans rights organizations stance of the new Housewives installment? Let us know in the comments!