Summary Secretary says had she known there were rights issues in the country, she wouldn't have done so.
NEW YORK (AP) - Jennifer Lopez sang "Happy Birthday" to the leader of Turkmenistan during a performance, but her representative says had she known there were human rights issues in the country, she wouldn t have performed there at all.
Lopez performed in the former Soviet bloc country on Saturday night. A statement released by her publicist says it was for the China National Petroleum Corp. and wasn t a political event.
However, the country s leader, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow (gur-BAHN-goo-lee bair-dee-mukh-ha-MAY-doff), did attend. Berdimuhamedow has been criticized for oppressive rule by human rights organizations.
The statement says the event was vetted by Lopez s representatives, but she wouldn t have attended if she had known about the accusations.
According to the statement, the birthday song was a last-minute request made by the company to Lopez and she "graciously obliged."
