Air france faces celebrity battle over its shipments of monkeys to laboratories

London – Fresh from his induction as a solo artist into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Peter Gabriel is the latest celebrity to fire off a letter on PETA's behalf calling on Air France to stop transporting monkeys to laboratories, where they are caged, experimented on and killed.

In his letter, the "Sledgehammer" singer points out that Air France is the only remaining airline that still participates in what Gabriel describes as a "cruel practice". He joins a growing list of celebrities – including Dr Jane Goodall, Chris Packham and James Cromwell – who have spoken out against Air France's cruelty to primates. Even pop star Justin Bieber is getting in on the effort. After stopping to chat to a protester at Los Angeles International Airport last month, Bieber voiced his concern for monkeys doomed to die in laboratories, telling the protester, "Air France sucks", before leaving a "Boycott Air France" T-shirt.

The full text of Gabriel's letter is available below. For more information and to urge Air France to stop the transportation of primates to laboratories, please visit PETA.org.uk.

Dear Mr de Juniac:

I was troubled to learn that Air France is still shipping monkeys to laboratories, where they will be forced to live in pain and misery – experimented on and eventually killed – despite the fact that every other major airline in the world has stopped this cruel practice.

Before arriving at their final destination, these intelligent, sensitive primates are torn from their homes and families, locked inside small wooden crates in Air France cargo holds and forced to endure gruelling, frightening flights that often last more than 30 hours.

At the American and European laboratories served by Air France, primates are violently force-fed chemicals, inflicted with brain damage, crippled, addicted to cocaine or alcohol, deprived of food and water, or psychologically tormented and ultimately killed.

Aer Lingus, Air China, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, Lufthansa, Qantas, Virgin, United Airlines and all other major airlines have banned the transport of primates to labs.

I urge you to stop supporting the mistreatment of monkeys in painful and deadly experiments and to join other leading airlines in adopting and adhering to a formal policy that prohibits the transport of primates to laboratories.