Editing Seal (musician) (section)

====Performance in Chechnya, 2011====
In October 2011, Seal was criticized by human-rights groups for appearing at an event in [[Grozny]], [[Chechnya]], that turned into a birthday celebration for [[Ramzan Kadyrov]], the President of Chechnya.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/466042/seal-takes-heat-for-serenading-chechen-strongman |title=Seal takes heat for serenading Chechen strongman |magazine=Billboard |date=13 October 2011 }}</ref> Also appearing at the event were the actress [[Hilary Swank]], actor [[Jean-Claude Van Damme]] and violinist [[Vanessa-Mae]]. The New York–based [[Human Rights Foundation]] claims that it sent letters to invitees in advance of the event noting Kadyrov's record and asking them to decline the invitations.<ref name="humanrightsfoundation1">{{cite web|url=http://www.humanrightsfoundation.org/media/HilarySwankapologizes20111012.html |title=Hilary Swank apologizes – Pleads ignorance; but will she keep the Chechen warlord's money? |publisher=[[Human Rights Foundation]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111017115719/http://www.humanrightsfoundation.org/media/HilarySwankapologizes20111012.html |archive-date=17 October 2011 }}</ref> [[Human Rights Watch]] sent an enquiry to Seal regarding his performance at the event and released a statement about the incident that said:
{{blockquote|Ramzan Kadyrov is linked to a litany of horrific human rights abuses. It's inappropriate for stars to get paid to party with him. It bolsters his image and legitimizes a brutal leader and his regime. And getting paid to be part of such a lavish show in Chechnya trivialises the suffering of countless victims of human rights abuses there.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/seal-chechnya-human-rights-247508 |title=Seal's Chechen Leader Birthday Bash Performance Questioned By Human Rights Group |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |first=Kim |last=Masters |date=12 October 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/oct/13/hilary-swank-regrets-chechen-party |title=Hilary Swank 'regrets' partying with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov |work=[[The Guardian]]|location=London |first=Miriam |last=Elder |date=13 October 2011 }}</ref>}}

Seal refused to apologise for appearing at the event, sending a message from his Twitter account telling people to "leave me out of your politics".<ref name="humanrightsfoundation1"/> Seal was reported to have made $500,000 for singing at the party.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/10/24/celebrities-chummy-with-dictators-risk-damaging-their-brand/ |title=Hilary Swank cancels Toronto speech amid controversy over Ramzan Kadyrov birthday appearance |first=Tom |last=Blackwell |work=[[National Post]] |date=24 October 2011 |access-date=31 October 2011 }}</ref>