AHEPA Applauds J.Lo for Withdrawing from Occupied Cyprus Gig

From a press release issued today by AHEPA:

WASHINGTON - The leading membership-based association for the nation's three million American citizens of Greek heritage, and countless Philhellenes, the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), applauds Entertainer Jennifer Lopez for withdrawing from her planned July 24, 2010 performance at a new hotel and casino in Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus, announced National President Nicholas A. Karacostas.

"We sincerely thank Ms. Lopez for withdrawing from her planned performance in occupied Cyprus," Karacostas said. "Furthermore we commend her outstanding statement that recognizes the importance of not supporting any forms of human rights abuses."

He added, "We congratulate the community, including many members of the AHEPA family, for participating in an overwhelming grassroots outreach campaign that created awareness of the human rights violations committed by Turkey in occupied Cyprus. We also thank everyone who signed the AHEPA petition."

On July 1, AHEPA sent Ms. Lopez a letter requesting her to cancel her performance. In addition, AHEPA provided Ms. Lopez's publicist with supporting documentation by experts about the destruction of Cyprus' cultural and religious heritage by Turkey and the latter's violations of international law, including an April 2009 Law Library of Congress's report to Congress, background information about a July 21, 2009 U.S. Helsinki Commission briefing titled "Cyprus' Religious Cultural Heritage in Peril," and a Feb. 1, 2010 feature article in The Weekly Standard titled "Bare Ruined Choirs: Turkey's war on the cultural heritage of Cyprus"