Jennifer Lopez has apologised for serenading a repressive president for his birthday.

The 'Dance Again' singer sparked controversy after singing 'Happy Birthday' to Turkmenistan leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov at a concert in the former Soviet country on Saturday night (29.06.13), but insists she wasn't aware that Reporters Without Borders ranks it as the third most repressive place in the world.

A spokesperson for the 43-year-old singer told the Sunday Telegraph newspaper: ''Had there been knowledge of human rights issues any kind, Jennifer would not have attended.''

Jennifer, who has five-year-old twins, Max and Emme, with her ex-husband Marc Anthony, was reportedly paid a lot of money to perform at the event and personally serenade the country's leader, whose government is accused of arbitrarily arresting and torturing political dissidents.

Jennifer's choreographer, J. R. Taylor, tweeted before the concert: ''The Turkmenistan breeze feels amazing at night, kidz! I wonder were all my Turkmenistan followers are!? Hit me up!''

Several of his followers informed him that Twitter is banned in the country but he later added: ''Great show @JLo and @JLodancers Forever raising that bar!!! Thank You #Turkmenistan your hospitality is unparalleled! #LifeOfAChoreographer''