JLo urged to donate proceeds from Turkmenistan performance to charity

Jennifer Lopez should think about donating her Turkmenistan performance fee to the charity that supports the victims of his rule, Human Rights Watch said.

New York: Jennifer Lopez should think about donating her fee, which she received after performing for the president of Turkmenistan on June 29, to a charity that supports the victims of his rule, Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday.

The `On The Floor` hit maker sang at a function staged by the China National Petroleum Corporation to celebrate the birthday of Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, the president of Turkmenistan. Lopez`s rep has claimed the singer was oblivious of any human rights issues in Turkmenistan at the time. Carroll Bogert, deputy executive director for external relations at Human Rights Watch said that Lopez could make amends for this blunder by donating the proceeds to a worthy cause. Human Rights Watch recommended organizations the name of Front Line Defenders, a non-profit assisting at-risk human rights defenders in Central Asia, or the United Nations Fund for Victims of Torture, as possible recipients of the money. Bogert asserted that the government of Turkmenistan has a terrible record of torture and has virtually silenced the human rights activists who have tried to speak out. She said that for Lopez to support those causes would show that she understands now why so many people were offended by this episode. ANI