Jennifer Lopez Performance Backlash

The 43-year-old triple-threat star reportedly sang “Happy birthday” to Turkmenistan leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov on Sunday.  This latest performance earned the Latina megastar tons of backlash.

Berdymukhamedov, the leader of an authoritarian regime in Central Asia, has been criticized numerous times by human rights organizations for oppressive rule. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lopez’s rep described the performance as a “private corporate event” held by the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) that was “not political in nature” and was not “government sponsored.”

The Puerto Rican singer proudly tweeted about her performance – in a country that bans social media. The performance infuriated human rights activists, who claim it destroys her carefully crafted involvement in organizations like Amnesty International.

“What is the next stop on her tour, Syria? The dictator of Kazakhstan’s birthday is July 6, maybe she will also pay him a visit?” Human Rights Foundation president Thor Halvorssen said in a press release.

Her rep defended Lopez singing the birthday song by saying that it was “a last minute ‘birthday greeting’ request prior to Jennifer taking the stage.” NBC Latino reports that a 2012 Human Rights Watch report described the country as “among the most repressive in the world” under the Turkmenistan. The Huffington Post said the Lopez’s rep also said: “Had there been knowledge of human rights issues any kind, Jennifer would not have attended.”