(CNN) US singer Mariah Carey performed in concert in Saudi Arabia Thursday night, despite calls from activists to cancel the show over allegations of human rights abuse.

Carey appeared in King Abdullah Economic City alongside Sean Paul and DJ Tiesto, defying those who had hoped she would cancel or call for the release of 11 women's rights activists detained in Saudi Arabia since May 2018.

Jailed Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul

Loujain Alhathloul is one of the detainees. Her family, Saudi activists and Human Rights Watch have alleged in recent months that she and other female detainees have been tortured and sexually harassed in prison.

Her brother, Walid Alhathloul, detailed in a CNN opinion piece the abuse his sister has allegedly endured.

He wrote that during a recent visit by his parents to see Loujain she told them she was regularly whipped, beaten, electrocuted and sexually harassed in a basement she called the "palace of terror."

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