Rihanna speaks

After two weeks of silence, and on the day of her 21st birthday, Rihanna has released a statement through her rep: "At the request of the authorities, Rihanna is not commenting about the incident involving Chris Brown," says the statement from her rep on Friday. "She wants to assure her fans that she remains strong, is doing well, and deeply appreciates the outpouring of support she has received during this difficult time."
The singer has been in hiding since Chris Brown was arrested on 8 February, but was spotted returning to Los Angeles on Thursday night. Rihanna wore sunglasses and looked solemn sat in the back of a car. Earlier that day, a Police picture of the star's battered face was leaked to the press, subsequently appearing on the Internet around the world. The image reportedly shows Rihanna's injuries after Chris Brown allegedly attacked her. The LA Police Department has launched an internal investigation to find out how this picture surfaced in the media.