{"id":20936,"date":"2013-07-01T14:04:21","date_gmt":"2013-07-01T10:04:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/archive2.ankakh.com\/?p=20936"},"modified":"2013-07-01T14:04:21","modified_gmt":"2013-07-01T10:04:21","slug":"jenny-from-the-eastern-bloc-lopez-forced-to-apologize-for-singing-happy-birthday-to-brutal-turkmen-dictator-accused-of-torture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive2.ankakh.com\/en\/?p=20936","title":{"rendered":"Jenny from the Eastern Bloc: Lopez forced to apologize for singing happy birthday to brutal Turkmen dictator accused of torture"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Jennifer<\/a>Jennifer Lopez was forced to apologize after a concert in Turkmenistan on Satruday night because she sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to the repressive dictator of the country’s brutal oppressive regime.
\nLopez reportedly changed into a traditional Turkmen outfit during her show and personally serenaded Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow – whose government is accused of arbitrarily arresting and torturing political dissidents.
\nHuman Rights Watch ranks Turkmenistan as ‘among the most repressive in the world.’ The human rights group says the former Soviet republic imposes ‘draconian restrictions on freedom of expression and association.’
\nThe group also reports that ‘President Berdymukhamedov, his relatives, and associates enjoy unlimited power and total control over all aspects of public life.’
\nThe concert was sponsored by China National Petroleum Corp – a major investor in Turmenistan’s booming gas industry – was meant to celebrate Berdimuhamedo’s 56th birthday.
\nLopez released a statement after the concert apologizing for signing for the president and saying she never would have attended to concert if she had known the country’s human rights record.
\nAccording to the statement, the birthday song was a last-minute request made by the company to Lopez and she ‘graciously obliged.’
\n