Lantos Foundation Announces Activist Artist Scholarship Winners

Media contact:
Chelsea Hedquist
chelsea@lantosfoundation.org
+1 603.229.2017

 Lantos Foundation Announces
Activist Artist Scholarship Winners

Three New Hampshire High School Seniors to Receive $10,000 in Scholarship Funds 

CONCORD (March 21, 2022) — The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice today announced that Gabrielle Gallant, a senior at Windham High School, has received the top award for the second annual Activist Artist Scholarship competition. Ms. Gallant’s winning essay recounts the story of her ballet teacher, who choreographed an original ballet piece titled A Child’s View of the Holocaust, which has been performed by the Londonderry Dance Academy for more than three decades. Ms. Gallant performed in the ballet piece, herself, for eight years. In her essay, she writes, “Performing this piece in high schools today fosters important conversation regarding tolerance, acceptance, and empathy. Open communication about the past and unjust treatment can help identify and prevent future injustice.”  

Ms. Gallant will receive a $5,000 scholarship to be paid to Marist College, which she will attend starting this fall at its Florence, Italy campus. She noted that, due to the pandemic, it has not been possible to perform A Child’s View of the Holocaust for the past two years. “Participating in the Activist Artist scholarship competition gave me a chance to remember and reflect on the importance of the message we delivered when we were able to perform,” she said. “It is a message that must be remembered, especially given today's current events.”  

The Foundation also awarded two runner-up prizes of $2,500 each to Kayla Schroyer of St. Paul’s School and Madelyn Allen of Bow High School. Ms. Schroyer received her award for an original piece of artwork titled “Obey, Work Hard, We Own You”, which draws attention to the unfairness, unhealthy conditions, and violations of rights that workers in the global labor market too often experience. Ms. Allen’s essay examined the impact of the photography of Dorothea Lange, whose “Censored images of Japanese American internment” documented some of the most egregious human rights abuses ever committed on American soil. Ms. Schroyer will attend Brigham Young University Idaho in the fall to study art education and theater. Ms. Allen will attend the University of New Hampshire. 

Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation, congratulated the three scholarship winners and said, “Art has a unique power to advocate for the human rights and dignity of all people – it can first move us and then motivate us to take action. For a second year, we received a range of impressive applications from high school seniors across the state who clearly understand this power. Some of the submissions were thoughtful and well-crafted essays about the work of activist artists, while others were remarkable pieces of original artwork. It was difficult to limit the awardees to only three, but we are grateful for our distinguished judges who devoted their time and energy to reviewing the submissions and selecting our winners. We are thrilled to award scholarships to three outstanding young scholars and to support their continuing education – and hopefully their continued interest in and commitment to human rights.” 

The Activist Artist Scholarship, first launched in October 2020, challenges applicants to examine the influence of a particular “Activist Artist” and show how that artist used their medium to influence, inform and inspire during their lifetime or beyond. Alternatively, applicants have the option to submit their own original piece of activist art. The scholarship competition is open to all New Hampshire high school seniors who intend to enroll in a 2- or 4-year college program at the conclusion of high school. Funding for the scholarships is generously provided through a grant from the Bank of New Hampshire.  

“Bank of New Hampshire is proud to support the Activist Artist Scholarship program,” said Cydney Shapleigh, EVP – Chief Wealth Management and Retail Banking Officer for Bank of New Hampshire. “Each year I am impressed by the talent of the applicants.  Their ability to bring awareness to human rights injustices through art is truly inspiring. We are honored to partner with such an important organization.”

The winners were selected by a panel of judges from the New Hampshire arts and education communities, and beyond, with a diverse range of experience and perspectives. This year’s judges included: Concord film-maker John Gfroerer, New Hampshire artist and gallery owner Pam Tarbell, Lantos Foundation Board of Trustees Treasurer Ambassador Richard Swett, Bank of New Hampshire’s Cydney Shapleigh, Lantos Foundation President Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, Duke University student and former Lantos Foundation intern Daniel Wolf, and Betsy Gammons, a retired art teacher from the Concord School District and current part-time art instructor at the Currier Museum of Art.  

The Activist Artist Scholarship program falls within the Lantos Foundation’s “Global Citizenship” area of work. The Foundation recognizes the powerful, yet often overlooked, role that artists play in the human rights movement. Through the Activist Artist Scholarship and other programs, the Foundation seeks to encourage, support and elevate the work of artists who use their mediums to advocate for important causes. 

To learn more about the Foundation’s Activist Artist work and to stay updated on future awards, visit: https://www.lantosfoundation.org/activist-artist    

###

About the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice: The Lantos Foundation was established in 2008 to carry forward the legacy of Congressman Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor ever elected to the U.S. Congress and a leading human rights champion. Based in Concord, NH, the Foundation works with a range of partners and often in cooperation with the U.S. Government on issues that span the globe. The Foundation’s key areas of focus include human rights issues related to religious freedom, rule of law, internet freedom and activist art. The Foundation also administers the Lantos Congressional Fellows Program, supports human rights advocates, activists and artists through its Front Line Fund grant program, and awards the annual Lantos Human Rights Prize to honor and bring attention to heroes of the human rights movement. Past recipients of the Prize include His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Professor Elie Wiesel, Israeli President Shimon Peres, Iraqi Parliamentarian Vian Dakhil, “Hotel Rwanda” hero Paul Rusesabagina, and Hong Kong Democracy activist Joshua Wong, among others.

Raif Badawi has been released, but he is not yet truly free

Amid the devastation and horror of the past weeks, we received a faint glimmer of good news on Friday: The Saudi Government released writer and activist Raif Badawi after 10 long and shockingly unjust years in prison.

Even as we celebrate the news of Raif’s release, we must emphasize that he should never have been imprisoned in the first place. His “crime” was nothing more than exercising the fundamental right to freedom of conscience and belief. His case underscores the lack of religious freedom and freedom of expression in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the urgent need to expand these human rights in that nation and beyond. No one should ever face persecution, oppression, imprisonment, or threats to their very life for following the dictates of their conscience.

The Lantos Foundation, alongside many respected human rights organizations, has advocated for Raif’s release for several years – dating back to 2015, when he was publicly flogged in Jeddah Square as part of his sentence of 10 years and 1,000 lashes.

At that time, Lantos Foundation President Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett was proud to stand with a group of prominent religious freedom advocates calling on Saudi Arabia to cancel the 1,000-lash sentence and offering to take 100 lashes each in his stead. This led to a global campaign that prompted ordinary citizens from around the world to make a similar pledge on Raif’s behalf. We believe our collective advocacy and the international outcry over his treatment played a role in the Saudis’ decision not to continue this barbaric punishment on Raif and to eventually abolish flogging in 2020.

Now, years later, Raif has finally been freed…but he is not yet truly free. He remains subject to a 10-year travel ban, which prohibits him from joining his wife and children in Canada.

• We call upon Saudi Arabia to lift this ban immediately and allow Raif the opportunity to reunite with his family after a cruel 10-year separation.

• We urge the U.S. Government to use its influence to urge the Saudis to truly and fully restore the freedom they stole from him 10 long years ago.  

In our work to carry forward the noble banner of human rights, it can feel as though the scales will never tip towards justice. But every so often, like last Friday, a true human rights hero somehow manages to survive terror, trauma, and horrific abuse, and re-emerge from a prison cell to inspire us all anew with their courage and determination. Raif is one such hero, and he deserves the chance to build a new life with his family, far from the brutal regime that stole his liberty a decade ago.  

Now is the time for all of us to stand as guardians of Ukraine

For the first time in 80 years, the world stands as witness to a war of aggression in Europe. Russia’s brutal invasion of free, democratic Ukraine is the direct result of President Vladimir Putin’s twisted vision of restoring the Russian empire to its former glory – at any cost. Even as we witness Putin’s horrifying trampling of the international rule of law, we also see the courage, valor and determination of the Ukrainian people who have risen to defend their nation.

The inspiring acts of Ukraine’s leaders and everyday Ukrainians force us all to ask ourselves difficult questions: Would I be as brave as President Zelensky? Would I be as calm and stoic as the mothers sheltering their small children in the subways of Kyiv? Would I be as fearless as the soldiers of Snake Island? Would I be as willing to leave my old life behind as the teachers, grandmothers, engineers, and musicians who line up to receive weapons with which to protect their country and families?

The Foundation’s namesake, Congressman Tom Lantos, taught us that “the veneer of civilization is paper thin. We are its guardians, and we can never rest.” In this historic moment, when freedom and democracy themselves face a grave threat, each of us must recognize our role in standing for these values. Now is the time for all of us to raise our voices in protest against Putin’s aggression, to stand in solidarity with our courageous brothers and sisters in Ukraine, and to give of our time, energy, and resources to their cause.

With Tom’s example guiding us, the Lantos Foundation will be making donations to support the following organizations, and we hope you will consider joining us and making a donation of your own.

• Razom Emergency Response is organizing vital medical supplies and satellite phones to deliver to the front lines in Ukraine.

• World Central Kitchen has launched Chefs for Ukraine to provide hot, nourishing meals for Ukrainian refugees fleeing violence and for residents who remain in Ukraine. 

• United Hatzalah is working to protect Jewish communities in Ukraine and to provide medical and humanitarian supplies, as well as psychological support, for refugees.

• The Hungarian American Coalition is raising funds for partner organizations on the ground in Ukraine, with a particular focus on the 150,000 ethnic Hungarians in Western Ukraine.

Those of us living in peace and safety will not be asked to take up arms. We cannot physically stand alongside Ukrainians on the front lines. But our advocacy and our generosity can, nevertheless, strengthen Ukraine’s resistance and help the people of Ukraine halt Russia’s brutal advance. This is the moment when we must all stand as guardians of freedom, democracy, and a respect for basic human rights. Thank you for joining us in standing for Ukraine.

To Combat Holocaust Denial and Online Hate, Congress Should Set Its Sights on SF-based Internet Archive

On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Lantos Foundation and the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) call on Congress, particularly those Congressional leaders from the Bay Area, to take action to hold the San Francisco-based digital platform the Internet Archive accountable for its role in spreading antisemitic and racist hate online, as well as Holocaust denial — as Congress has done with other major tech companies. This move would be especially welcome following the adoption of a historic UN resolution condemning Holocaust denial and distortion and calling on countries to take action to combat it.

Lantos Foundation President Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett and Yigal Carmon, Founder and President of MEMRI, write in a new opinion piece, “On this day, as the world remembers the tragedy of the Holocaust, members of Congress, and especially those representing the Internet Archive’s home base in the Bay Area, must take up the important cause of holding this organization accountable for its content. This would certainly be a cause that would ignite both the fury and passion of the late Congressman Tom Lantos, were he still with us…We encourage the Bay Area Congressional delegation to follow Congressman Lantos’ example and show this kind of moral leadership: Ensure that the Internet Archive no longer escapes the scrutiny and accountability that have been applied to other tech companies. In a world that seems to careen ever closer to the edge of reality, we cannot allow the spread of Holocaust denial and online hate to go unchecked.”

Read the complete piece on Medium here.

The Lantos Foundation and MEMRI have written directly to Members of Congress, including the full California delegation and members of the House and Senate Task Forces on Combating Antisemitism, to urge them to take action to hold the Internet Archive accountable.

Screen shot from MEMRI video compilation of antisemitic content and Holocaust denial on the Internet Archive.

Lantos Foundation to Honor Three Remarkable Afghan Women with the 2021 Lantos Human Rights Prize

Media contact:
Chelsea Hedquist
+1 603.229.2017
chelsea@lantosfoundation.org

January 24, 2022 – The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice is thrilled to announce the three extraordinary Afghan women who will be jointly awarded the 2021 Lantos Human Rights Prize: Judge Fawzia Amini, Ms. Roya Mahboob, and Ms. Khalida Popal. Each of these women has worked fearlessly and tirelessly to promote and protect the rights of Afghan women, in their own unique way and from within their respective fields – including the legal profession, the tech business world, and the sports arena. The Lantos Foundation originally announced on December 10 that the 2021 Lantos Prize would honor the women of Afghanistan and today it is releasing the names of the Lantos Prize recipients.

“It was a challenging task to identify three women to recognize with our highest human rights honor, simply because there are so many impressive, courageous, and inspiring Afghan women who have made contributions to the field of human rights and women’s rights,” said Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation. “While many Afghan women would be worthy recipients of the Lantos Prize, we felt that Judge Amini, Ms. Mahboob, and Ms. Popal particularly embody the idea of a human rights champion and represent the diversity of ways that Afghan women have had an impact on human rights. We are so delighted to have the chance to honor these three women for their specific achievements – but we also feel that they will accept the Prize as representatives of their fellow Afghan women, many of whom now face the terrifying reality of a return to life under the Taliban’s oppressive rule.”

The 2021 Lantos Prize will be conferred at a ceremony in Washington, DC, which will be held later this spring. The ceremony will not only recognize the contributions of Afghan women to the struggle for human rights but will also serve as a platform to urge the United States government and other democratic nations to help ensure the safety, wellbeing and fundamental rights of all women in Afghanistan – and to offer support and aid for women who wish to flee the country. The ceremony will also take the opportunity to honor the generous and courageous rescuers who have, on their own initiative, helped Afghan women who are in danger to leave the country in the past several months and resettle elsewhere. More details about the 2021 Lantos Prize ceremony will be made available in the coming weeks.

“It is a great honor to receive the Lantos Prize,” said Judge Amini from the United Kingdom, where she has recently resettled after fleeing Afghanistan last autumn. “It is my wish that this honor will bring attention to the threats facing the women of Afghanistan, and particularly my fellow women judges. I was fortunate to be able to leave the country, but many of them have been unable to leave and they remain in grave danger. It is my duty now to advocate for them. I will continue to share this message: The Taliban have institutionalized discrimination against women. They have denied our fundamental rights. We cannot forget the women of Afghanistan.”

“I accept this award with a sense of deep pride and gratitude that my efforts to extend the fundamental right of education to all the women and girls of Afghanistan are being recognized,” said Ms. Mahboob from New York, where she resides. “The Lantos Prize will honor not only my work, but that of my dedicated team members, as well as the resilience, talent, and courage of the women and girls we work with across Afghanistan. Education is the way we push back against extremism and bring real change to the people of Afghanistan, and I am committed to continuing this work, no matter the challenges we face.”  

“I am grateful to receive the Lantos Prize in recognition of my work to empower women and girls through sport,” said Ms. Popal from Denmark, where she has lived since 2011. “I envision a day when women all around the world realize their own power and the strength that comes from standing together as sisters. I will continue working towards that day and towards a world in which no group, government, or patriarchal culture will be able dominate, oppress, and violate the human rights of one half of society.”

###

Judge Fawzia Amini held numerous positions in the Afghan government for more than two decades, including as head of the Legal Department of the Ministry of Women Affairs. She later became a senior judge in the Supreme Court of Afghanistan and head of the Violence against Women Court, where she settled hundreds of cases against perpetrators of violence. During her time in government, Judge Amini was a member of the drafting committee of the Elimination of Violence against Women Law, the Family Law, and regulations for protection centers for women at risk. She worked closely with the Ministry of Justice to review laws from a gender perspective and ensure the protection of women’s rights, and she conducted hundreds of capacity building trainings on legal issues linked to women’s rights. She also played a role in Afghanistan’s accession to key international conventions on women and children, such as the UN Convention Against Torture, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and others. When the Taliban regained control of the country in 2021, Judge Amini was forced into hiding after receiving numerous threats against her life. With assistance from the International Bar Association, she and nearly 100 women judges were able to escape from the country. Upon her arrival to the United Kingdom, Judge Amini immediately turned her attention and energy to advocating for the protection and rescue of the women judges who remain in Afghanistan.

Roya Mahboob is an entrepreneur and Afghanistan’s first female tech CEO, but her impact extends far beyond the sphere of business. Ms. Mahboob has used her success and tech expertise to help educate and empower Afghan women and girls, and she has been an outspoken advocate for their rights. She founded the Digital Citizen Fund, a nonprofit that aims to increase Afghan women’s technological and financial literacy and through which she also co-founded and supports the Afghan Girls Robotics Team. Ms. Mahboob has worked to build Internet-enabled classrooms across Afghanistan, has launched an online platform to strengthen the voices of Afghan women and journalists, and she regularly speaks and writes eloquently about the vital importance of education to building peaceful, just societies that respect human rights. Ms. Mahboob was named to TIME’s 2013 list of 100 Most Influential People. Following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, Ms. Mahboob played a crucial role in helping members of the Afghan Girls Robotics Team escape from the country.

Khalida Popal began breaking down barriers and empowering women in Afghanistan in 2007, when she helped found the Afghan National Women’s Soccer Team. She served as the team captain, and she later became the first woman ever hired by the Afghanistan Football Federation. When it became clear that she was no longer safe in the country, she went into exile and has continued her advocacy for the rights of women and girls by establishing the Denmark-based Girl Power Organisation. Girl Power encourages women’s empowerment through sport, particularly for refugee and migrant girls. Ms. Popal has become an outspoken and deeply respected advocate for women’s rights in Afghanistan and beyond. A former defender on the soccer field, she is now a defender and champion of human rights around the globe. Amid the recent fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, she worked tirelessly to help dozens of female soccer players from the senior and junior national teams escape and relocate. She has continued to support these girls and their families as they transition to their new countries of residence.

About the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice: The Lantos Foundation was established in 2008 to carry forward the legacy of Congressman Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor ever elected to the U.S. Congress and a leading human rights champion. The Foundation works with a range of partners and often in cooperation with the U.S. Government on issues that span the globe. The Foundation’s key areas of focus include human rights issues related to religious freedom, rule of law, internet freedom and activist art. The Foundation also administers the Lantos Congressional Fellows Program, supports human rights advocates, activists and artists through its Front Line Fund grant program, and awards the annual Lantos Human Rights Prize to honor and bring attention to heroes of the human rights movement. Past recipients of the Prize include His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Professor Elie Wiesel, the real-life hero of Hotel Rwanda Paul Rusesabagina, Israeli President Shimon Peres, Iraqi Parliamentarian Vian Dakhil, Hong Kong Democracy activist Joshua Wong, Bill Browder, the driving force behind the global Magnitsky movement, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative Bryan Stevenson, among others.

Lantos Foundation Statement: Celtics Must Stand with Enes Kanter Freedom

When the Boston Celtics signed a new center in August 2021, they were signing a Turkish player by the name of Enes Kanter. Today, that same center is a newly minted American citizen whose legal name is Enes Kanter Freedom, and he has become one of the boldest, most courageous, and passionate voices speaking out against human rights abuses in China and elsewhere in the world.

Enes Kanter Freedom has long been a vocal critic of Turkish President Erdogan’s human rights violations, but this past year he has shown great moral courage by speaking up for self-determination in Taiwan and Hong Kong, as well as protesting the repression of Tibetan Buddhists and the genocide being carried out against the Uyghurs of Xinjiang. His bravery in using his platform as an NBA player to shine a spotlight on these and other issues should be applauded, encouraged and supported. However, perhaps unsurprisingly, it has earned him a great deal of backlash, including having his Turkish passport revoked by the Erdogan regime. Here in the United States, he has met with limited support and even outright resistance from the NBA, which appears ever more beholden to the economic might of China and the ruling Chinese Communist Party. Rather than urging other athletes to follow his brave example, reports allege that the NBA asked Kanter Freedom not to wear his now iconic “Free Tibet” shoes during the Celtics season opener.

As the Boston Celtics contemplate whether to release Kanter Freedom as a free agent, the Lantos Foundation strongly urges Celtics CEO Wycliffe Grousbeck to do the right thing and ensure that this player, who is a credit to both his team and to his new country, does not lose his place in the NBA as a punishment for his outspoken advocacy. By standing with Kanter Freedom, the Celtics would send a powerful message that they refuse to bend to the whims of brutal dictators like Xi Jinping and that they have a sincere respect for fundamental human rights and the dignity of all people. This is a particularly important message to send, with the Opening Ceremonies of the 2022 Winter Olympics scheduled to take place in Beijing in less than a month.

Now, more than ever, people in positions of influence and power, like Mr. Grousbeck, must put values, morals and human rights ahead of profit – and he must do so by standing with Kanter Freedom. If he does, we hope it will signal to other athletes that if they have the moral courage to use their platform and influence for good, their organizations will have their backs. That would perhaps be the most important impact of all, leading to a proliferation of powerful athlete advocates for human rights. This is the legacy that Mr. Grousbeck and the Celtics could begin to build by securing Enes Kanter Freedom’s place on their team.

HRF & Lantos to Democracies: Leave Your Olympic Box Seats Empty in Protest

NEW YORK (January 4, 2022) — With the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics one month away, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) and the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice (Lantos Foundation) call on democratic governments to commit to a diplomatic boycott of the Games, and refuse to send official representation. By leaving their box seats empty, particularly at the marquee event of the Opening Ceremonies, democratic nations can send a powerful message in support of fundamental human rights.

Authoritarian regimes have historically weaponized global sporting events, such as the Olympics, to whitewash their human rights abuses. The glitz and glamor of such events has drowned out the suffering of millions of people living under dictatorships, and allows these authoritarian regimes — among them, China’s regime — to grandstand on the world stage alongside leaders from democratic countries. With Xi Jinping at its helm, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has belligerently attacked fundamental human rights in Tibet, the Uyghur Region (Xinjiang), and Hong Kong, and has unleashed its economic might to silence critics globally.

As a response to the CCP’s abuses, in December 2021, the Biden Administration announced a diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Olympics in China, which are scheduled to take place from February 4-20. Among the human rights violations specified by the Biden administration, were China’s mass detention camps in the Uyghur Region (Xinjiang) and its campaign of forced sterilization against the Uyghurs. Several other countries, including Canada, Australia, Lithuania, and the United Kingdom have also announced diplomatic boycotts, similarly citing China’s appalling human rights record and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The Olympics, which aim to unify nations and promote shared values like respect for human dignity, must not be weaponized as a stage for China’s authoritarian government to whitewash its abuses. The very least that governments can do, is to show their solidarity with the people of Tibet, the Uyghur Region, and Hong Kong by leaving their seats empty at the Olympic Games,” said HRF President Céline Assaf-Boustani. “We applaud the governments that have already committed to diplomatic boycotts, and we encourage all other countries that value human rights, justice, and the rule of law to follow suit. It is imperative for the global community to stand together to send a powerful message to the CCP that its human rights abuses will not be tolerated.” 

With its appalling human rights record, Beijing should never have been given the opportunity to become the first city in history to host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. However, despite international public outcry against the host country’s abuses and the diplomatic boycott commitments already made by democratic governments, the 2022 Olympics appear poised to go ahead as planned. 

“The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has demonstrated its utter disregard for human rights by awarding Beijing the Olympics, even though its human rights violations have only grown in severity since Beijing last hosted the Summer Games in 2008,” said President of the Lantos Foundation Katrina Lantos Swett. “The IOC may be willing to overlook the CCP’s misdeeds, but the international community cannot, and must not. Countries around the world can make known their support for the human rights and dignity of all people by refusing to dignify the 2022 Winter Olympics, which some have dubbed the ‘Genocide Games,’ with official representation.”

As HRF and the Lantos Foundation join forces in their condemnation of China’s human rights violations and calls for diplomatic boycotts of the Olympics, it is more important than ever that the international community boldly take a stand against the CCP over its shameless disregard for human rights and the rule of law. 

More information about HRF and the Lantos Foundation’s “Empty Box” Campaign, urging governments to leave their Olympic box seats empty in peaceful protest, is available here. 

To learn more about how the Olympics can legitimize the rule of authoritarian regimes, read HRF CEO Thor Halvorssen and Lantos Foundation President Katrina Lantos Swett’s op-ed, Don’t Let Dictators Grandstand with World Leaders in Tokyo. Reclaim Olympics Values.

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies. For interview requests of further comment, please e-mail media@hrf.org.

The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice was established to carry forward the legacy of Congressman Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor ever elected to the U.S. Congress and a leading human rights champion. The Foundation works with a range of partners on issues that span the globe, with a focus on rule of law and religious freedom. For media requests, please e-mail Chelsea Hedquist at chelsea@lantosfoundation.org.

Lantos Foundation Files Magnitsky Submission with U.K. Foreign Office

Media contact:

Chelsea Hedquist

+1 603.229.2017

chelsea@lantosfoundation.org 

Lantos Foundation Files Magnitsky Submission with U.K. Foreign Office, Urging British Government to Sanction Rwandan Officials Involved in Kidnapping and Torture of “Hotel Rwanda” Hero

December 15, 2021 – The Lantos Foundation today filed a formal U.K. Global Human Rights Sanctions submission with the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), urging it to impose Magnitsky-style sanctions against two Rwandan individuals involved in the kidnapping and torture of Paul Rusesabagina, the humanitarian hero of Hotel Rwanda. The two individuals named in the filing are former Rwandan Justice Minister Johnston Busingye and head of the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) Colonel Jeannot Ruhunga. The Foundation submitted a similar filing to the U.S. Departments of State and Treasury in May 2021, which was automatically transmitted to officials in the U.K. at the time. Now a new submission, adapted to align with specific U.K. regulations, has been filed directly with the FCDO.

The submission follows a Westminster Hall debate held by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Magnitsky Sanctions on December 8, during which members of the APPG recommended that the U.K. Government sanction both Busingye and Ruhunga for their involvement in human rights violations. The APPG also recommended sanctions for individuals involved in human rights abuses in China, Iran and Sudan.

Lantos Foundation President Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett said, “I am truly grateful to the British MPs and peers who are boldly standing up to the dictatorial regime of Rwanda and firmly asserting that its actions against Paul Rusesabagina have been a flagrant violation of his human rights. Now it is time for the FCDO to take their recommendation, along with the Lantos Foundation’s Global Human Rights submission, and respond with real, tangible action in the form of Magnitsky-style sanctions against the two Rwandan officials in question. There is unequivocal evidence that former Minister Busingye and Colonel Ruhunga violated the basic human rights of a humanitarian hero, and a strong response by the British government is not only fully warranted but would be particularly impactful, given Rwanda’s status as a member of the Commonwealth.”

It can often prove difficult to build a case for Magnitsky-style sanctions that establishes government officials’ direct involvement in and responsibility for human rights abuses. However, in the case of Paul Rusesabagina’s August 2020 kidnapping and subsequent torture, the complicity and responsibility of both Busingye and Ruhunga is crystal clear. Busingye admitted during a televised interview on Al Jazeera in February 2021 that the Rwandan government paid for the plane that transported Rusesabagina, without his knowledge, to Kigali, Rwanda. Colonel Ruhunga, as head of the RIB, not only oversaw the operation to kidnap Rusesabagina but was also named in a jailhouse transcript as one of two people who visited Rusesabagina when he was held incommunicado and tortured in an unknown location during the three days between the time he was kidnapped and when he was presented in handcuffs in Kigali. In addition, it has since been made public that Rusesabagina was held in solitary confinement for more than 250 days in clear violation of the United Nations’ Mandela Rule, which sets a threshold of 15 days for such confinement and defines anything beyond that as torture.

The U.S. has not yet taken public action to sanction Busingye and Ruhunga, but the matter is particularly urgent in the United Kingdom. Mr. Busingye was abruptly relieved of his duties as Justice Minister earlier this year and named by President Paul Kagame as Rwanda’s high commissioner, or ambassador, to the United Kingdom. At the time, the Lantos Foundation urged the U.K. Government not to accept Mr. Busingye’s credentials and instead to apply Magnitsky-style sanctions for his clear role in the human rights abuses against Mr. Rusesabagina. Speaking at the Westminster Hall debate last week, Chris Bryant MP, Chair of the APPG on Magnitsky Sanctions, remarked, “As far as I understand it, the U.K. has still not yet given its agrément to this appointment. I hope it will announce today that it has absolutely no intention of doing so because [Busingye] should be on our list of sanctioned individuals, not people being escorted to Buckingham Palace to have their credentials agreed by Her Majesty.”

Dr. Lantos Swett said, “I sincerely hope to see the British government follow through on these actions. Moreover, I would hope that strong action taken by the U.K. would encourage the United States to abandon its shameful policy of inaction regarding Paul Rusesabagina’s illegal kidnapping, torture and detention and finally engage publicly on behalf of a man who is not only one of its own, a U.S. Permanent Resident, but who has been awarded America’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”

Background: Paul Rusesabagina, the humanitarian hero whose story was depicted in the film Hotel Rwanda, received the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005 and was honored in 2011 with the Lantos Human Rights Prize. In late August 2020, he was kidnapped and flown against his will to Kigali, Rwanda. He was imprisoned, tortured and forced to undergo a sham trial that ended in October 2021 with a guilty verdict, at which time he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. A variety of legal organizations, human rights groups and government officials from around the world have decried the illegal rendition and trial, noting that Mr. Rusesabagina’s rights have been violated at virtually every stage. As a 67-year-old man with serious health conditions, his family and other supporters have implored the Rwandan government to release him immediately on humanitarian grounds. 

###

About the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice: The Lantos Foundation was established in 2008 to carry forward the legacy of Congressman Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor ever elected to the U.S. Congress and a leading human rights champion. The Foundation works with a range of partners and often in cooperation with the U.S. Government on issues that span the globe. The Foundation’s key areas of focus include human rights issues related to religious freedom, rule of law, internet freedom and activist art. The Foundation also administers the Lantos Congressional Fellows Program, supports human rights advocates, activists and artists through its Front Line Fund grant program, and awards the annual Lantos Human Rights Prize to honor and bring attention to heroes of the human rights movement. Past recipients of the Prize include His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Professor Elie Wiesel, the real-life hero of Hotel Rwanda Paul Rusesabagina, Israeli President Shimon Peres, Iraqi Parliamentarian Vian Dakhil, Hong Kong Democracy activist Joshua Wong, Bill Browder, the driving force behind the global Magnitsky movement, among others.

2021 Lantos Human Rights Prize to Honor Afghan Women

As we have watched the tragic events unfolding in Afghanistan over the past several months, the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice has been deeply moved and concerned by stories of the Taliban systematically undoing all the progress that was made over the past two decades on human rights – and particularly women’s and girls’ rights. We have watched these developments with a sense of true anguish and heartbreak, but we have been simultaneously inspired by the courageous individuals who have continued to fight for the rights of Afghan women, both within the country and from outside.  

It seems only fitting, then, that the 2021 Lantos Human Rights Prize recognize and honor these brave women who have done so much to move human rights forward in Afghanistan and beyond. We are in the process of selecting a small group of Afghan women from different spheres of influence – from politics to law, from business to sports – to honor as our 2021 Lantos Prize awardees. By honoring them, we aim to shine a light not only on their work and achievements, but also on those of so many other Afghan women, many of whom now face a terrifying return to life under the Taliban’s oppressive rule.  

At our 2021 Lantos Prize ceremony, to be held in early 2022, we will recognize the remarkable contributions of Afghan women to the struggle for human rights. We will urge the United States government and other democratic nations to help ensure the safety, wellbeing and fundamental rights of all women in Afghanistan – and to offer support and aid for women who wish to flee the country. Finally, we will honor some of the generous and courageous rescuers who have, on their own initiative, helped Afghan women who are in danger to leave the country and resettle elsewhere.  

While the Taliban may make statements and gestures indicating that it has evolved on the issue of women’s rights, the devastating stories from within Afghanistan paint a dire picture and should sound the alarm for all countries that value and respect human rights. We must stand with the women of Afghanistan, and we must reaffirm that women’s rights are, indeed, human rights.  

We will release the full list of 2021 Lantos Prize recipients after the New Year, and we look forward with great anticipation to honoring a group of extraordinary women early next year.

Lantos Foundation Applauds British Parliament’s Magnitsky Caucus Recommendation to Sanction Rwandan Officials

Media contact:

Chelsea Hedquist

+1 603.229.2017

chelsea@lantosfoundation.org

Lantos Foundation Applauds British Parliament’s Magnitsky Caucus Recommendation to Sanction Rwandan Officials

December 9, 2021 – The Lantos Foundation applauds the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Magnitsky Sanctions for its decision to recommend that the U.K. Government sanction two individuals involved in the kidnapping and torture of Paul Rusesabagina, the humanitarian hero of Hotel Rwanda. Members of the APPG on Magnitsky Sanctions, a cross-peer group of the British Parliament, held a Westminster Hall debate on December 8 highlighting key human rights abusers and urging the government to take action to ensure they face consequences for their violations. Former Rwandan Justice Minister Johnston Busingye and head of the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) Colonel Jeannot Ruhunga were among the individuals recommended for sanctioning. 

The Lantos Foundation filed a Magnitsky submission in May 2021, urging the U.S. Departments of State and Treasury to sanction Busingye and Ruhunga, both of whom have publicly admitted their involvement in the illegal rendition of Mr. Rusesabagina. The U.S. has not yet taken public action to sanction the Rwandan officials named in the filing, though the Lantos Foundation continues to advocate for it to do so. The Foundation has also called on other democratic nations that have adopted Magnitsky-style legislation, including the United Kingdom, to impose sanctions on Busingye and Ruhunga.  

The question of whether to sanction Mr. Busingye is particularly relevant to the U.K., as he was abruptly relieved of his duties as Justice Minister earlier this year and named as Rwanda’s high commissioner, or ambassador, to the United Kingdom. At the time, the Lantos Foundation urged the U.K. Government not to accept Mr. Busingye’s credentials and instead to apply Magnitsky sanctions for his clear role in the human rights abuses against Mr. Rusesabagina.  

Speaking at the Westminster Hall debate, Chris Bryant MP, Chair of the APPG on Magnitsky Sanctions, remarked, “As far as I understand it, the U.K. has still not yet given its agrément to this appointment. I hope it will announce today that it has absolutely no intention of doing so because [Busingye] should be on our list of sanctioned individuals, not people being escorted to Buckingham Palace to have their credentials agreed by Her Majesty.” 

Lantos Foundation President Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett said, “I am truly grateful to Chris Bryant and the other British MPs and peers who are boldly standing up to the dictatorial regime of Rwanda and firmly asserting that its actions against Paul Rusesabagina have been a flagrant violation of his human rights. By lifting the curtain on the human rights violations of a fellow member of the Commonwealth, these legislators are leading the way toward righting this egregious wrong and helping get Mr. Rusesabagina released and returned home to his family. Their actions stand in stark contrast to the U.S. Government, which still refuses to publicly engage on behalf of one of its own. The inaction on the part of the U.S., where Paul is a Permanent Resident, is shameful and incredibly frustrating for all those who stand on the side of the justice.” 

Background: Paul Rusesabagina, the humanitarian hero whose story was depicted in the film Hotel Rwanda, received the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005 and was honored in 2011 with the Lantos Human Rights Prize. In late August 2020, he was kidnapped and flown against his will to Kigali, Rwanda. He was imprisoned, tortured and forced to undergo a sham trial that ended in October 2021 with a guilty verdict, at which time he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. A variety of legal organizations, human rights groups and government officials from around the world have decried the illegal rendition and trial, noting that Mr. Rusesabagina’s rights have been violated at virtually every stage. As a 67-year-old man with serious health conditions, his family and other supporters have implored the Rwandan government to release him immediately on humanitarian grounds. 

### 

About the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice: The Lantos Foundation was established in 2008 to carry forward the legacy of Congressman Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor ever elected to the U.S. Congress and a leading human rights champion. The Foundation works with a range of partners and often in cooperation with the U.S. Government on issues that span the globe. The Foundation’s key areas of focus include human rights issues related to religious freedom, rule of law, internet freedom and activist art. The Foundation also administers the Lantos Congressional Fellows Program, supports human rights advocates, activists and artists through its Front Line Fund grant program, and awards the annual Lantos Human Rights Prize to honor and bring attention to heroes of the human rights movement. Past recipients of the Prize include His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Professor Elie Wiesel, the real-life hero of Hotel Rwanda Paul Rusesabagina, Israeli President Shimon Peres, Iraqi Parliamentarian Vian Dakhil, Hong Kong Democracy activist Joshua Wong, Bill Browder, the driving force behind the global Magnitsky movement, among others.