By Amaka Ojo
Jennifer Lopez has apologised for her performance at Turkmenistan dictator Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov’s birthday party last Saturday.
The singer and actress who was recently honoured on the Hollywood Walk of Fame came under attack from the Human Rights Foundation president Thor Halvorssen for singing happy birthday to Berdymukhamedov during a show on Saturday night. The Turkmenistan leader has been criticized for alleged oppressive rule by human rights organizations.
However, a statement released to Associated Press on Sunday through her publicist disclosed that J.Lo would not have performed at the country at all if she had known there were human rights issues there.
The statement further explained that the event was hosted by the China National Petroleum Corporation, which Berdimuhamedow attended as guest and wasn’t a political event, adding that the birthday serenade was a last-minute request made by the corporation to J.Lo before her performance, and she ‘graciously obliged’.
