Kanye West Slammed By Human Rights Foundation

The Human Rights Foundation, a non-profit organization seeking to protect global human rights, has some sharp words for Kanye West following his paid performance at  a wedding of President Nursultan Nazarbayev's grandson in Kazakhstan last weekend. Joining a chorus of detractors, the organization claims West legitimized the violation of human rights by Nazarbayev's regime by performing at the wedding.  According to West had accepted a $3 million dollar pay day to perform  a medley of his hits at the event.

HRF President Thor Halvorssen Mendoza said that Kazakstan is a "human rights wasteland" where entertainers are regularly imprisoned for the freedom of speech that West expresses in his music. The Human Rights Foundation compared the performance to a similar performance by Jennifer Lopez earlier summer in Turkmenistan, which also has been heavily critiqued by international rights group for human rights violations over the year.

[Via Associated Press]