CNN: Report on UAE human rights abuses. Don’t cover them up.

Jeff Zucker, President, CNN Worldwide & Chairman, WarnerMedia News and Sports

CNN: Report on UAE human rights abuses. Don’t cover them up.

CNN is providing global publicity for a repressive monarchy that has killed thousands of civilians in Yemen. That monarchy is the United Arab Emirates -- the UAE -- and CNN is serving as the official broadcaster for the UAE Dubai Expo.

From October 2021 to March 2022, the UAE monarchy will host a glamorous global event and promote itself to the world with a flood of propaganda with help from the expo's official broadcaster: CNN.

While the world focuses on Dubai's giant skyscrapers during the expo, the UAE monarchy has:

  • Kidnapped and disappeared adult princesses who have tried to flee.
  • Bombed and killed thousands in Yemen.
  • Imprisoned critics at home.
  • Violated women's rights.
  • Enabled abuse of thousands of migrant workers.
  • Blocked democracy and backed dictators across the Middle East.
  • Supported Israeli apartheid against Palestinians.

Now the UAE dictatorship is hosting its latest propaganda event -- the UAE Dubai Expo. And CNN is giving the expo a global stage.

Meanwhle, the UAE's human rights violations continue. Even the head of the UAE Dubai Expo himself has been accused of sexual assault.

We demand that CNN make public their contract with the UAE, disclose whether they were paid by the dictatorship to cover the UAE Expo, and commit to reporting on UAE’s human rights violations.

If CNN cannot commit to independent reporting of the UAE, including disclosing its own financial ties and contract with the regime, then CNN must drop out as the official broadcaster of the event.

Sign this petition and tell CNN: Don’t compromise your news network for dictator dollars. Publicly disclose the terms of your contract and report on the UAE’s human rights abuses or drop out of the expo as the official broadcaster.

Sponsored by
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Washington, DC

To: Jeff Zucker, President, CNN Worldwide & Chairman, WarnerMedia News and Sports
From: [Your Name]

We demand that CNN reveal its “dictator contract” with the monarchy that rules the United Arab Emirates (UAE). CNN must reveal if it is being paid by the UAE dictatorship to cover the UAE Dubai Expo, and if so, how much.

We call on CNN to commit to reporting on UAE’s human rights violations. If CNN cannot commit to independent reporting on the UAE, including disclosing its own financial ties and contract with the regime, then CNN must drop out as the official broadcaster of the event.

These UAE human rights violations and abusive behaviors include:

- Bombing and killing thousands in Yemen.
- Imprisoning critics at home.
- Violating women's rights.
- Enabling the abuse of thousands of migrant workers.
- Blocking democracy and backing dictators across the Middle East.​
- Supporting Israeli apartheid against Palestinians.

Please disclose CNN's relationship with the UAE and report on UAE human rights abuses, or step down as the "official broadcaster" of the UAE.

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SENT TO FOLLOWING CNN EXECUTIVES, ANCHORS, AND PRODUCERS:

Jeff Zucker, President, CNN Worldwide & Chairman, WarnerMedia News and Sports
David Vigilante, Executive Vice President and General Counsel for CNN and Warner Media News and Sports
Rani R. Raad President, CNN Worldwide Commercial
Calvin Sims, Executive Vice President of Standards and Practices, CNN Worldwide
Mike McCarthy, Executive Vice President and General Manager, CNN International
Allison Gollust, Executive VP and Chief Marketing Officer, CNN Worldwide
Brad Ferrer, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, WarnerMedia News and Sports
Becky Anderson, Host of Connect the World with Becky Anderson & Managing Editor of CNN Abu Dhabi
Richard Quest, Host of Quest Means Business
Max Foster, Host of CNN Talk
Christiane Amanpour, Host of Amanpour