Jennifer Lopez has fallen into hot water after serenading President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov of Turkmenistan, who has been accused of human right’s violations and disregarding basic civil liberties.
Forbes reports that the singer, who recently received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, performed in the repressed county of Turkmenistan after appearing in London at the Chime for Change benefit concert. Lopez’s London performance helped campaign for women and girls’ empowerment around the world.
Her “Happy Birthday” message to Berdymukhamedov has been met with outrage, as the United Nations deemed his country as one of the least developed countries for women’s rights, stating in a 2009 report that “there are no or weak laws against domestic violence, rape, and marital rape, and these laws are not generally enforced.”
Further, the United States Department of State described Turkmenistan as a country in which, “the three most important human rights problems were arbitrary arrest; torture; and disregard for civil liberties, including restrictions on freedoms of speech, press, assembly, and movement.”
In the wake of public disturbance at Lopez’s performance for the leader of one of the “most repressive [countries] in the world,” the singer’s publicist has come forward in her defense.
"Had there been knowledge of human rights issues of any kind, Jennifer would not have attended,” her camp said, adding that her attendance at the President’s birthday was a last-minute addition to her schedule, which she “graciously obliged” to attend, according to Newsday .
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