Statement on Khodorkovsky Appeal Rejection

Putin continues manipulation of judicial system

CONCORD, NH – Following the Russian Supreme Court’s ruling to reject Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s appeal of his second conviction and 13 year prisonsentence, Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice, issued the following statement:

“It is not surprising that one of Putin’s first actions upon his return to the Russian Presidency was to continue his manipulation of the Judiciary and orchestrate the rejection of Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s latest appeal. This action, coupled with the blatant election theft he and his party just orchestrated, provides ominous insight into what lies ahead for the Russian people in the next six years under Putin’s tight-fisted reign. We can only hope that the currents of change coursing among the Russian populace can slowly push Russia in the direction of genuine justice and a legitimate system that obeys the rule of law. It seems this is the only force that could be strong enough to persuade Putin to finally allow the Russian people, including Mikhail Khodorkovsky, to have the voice and freedoms they so richly need and deserve.”

Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice Sponsors Monks Visit

“Days of Peace and Harmony” continue Through the Weekend at Canterbury Shaker Village”

On Wednesday the Tibetan Buddhist Monks from the Drepung Gomang Monastery arrived at Shaker Village in Canterbury for The Peace and Harmony Program. Their visit is part of their annual tour to support the monastery and the 2,000 monks who currently reside there in exile from China.
 
The support given by the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice is part of their ongoing commitment to human rights in China. In 2009, the Lantos Foundation drew the criticism of the Chinese government when they awarded the Lantos Human Rights Prize to Tibet spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama in recognition of his lifelong commitment to the peaceful promotion of human rights for the people of Tibet [Autonomous Region of China]. “In honor of His Holiness the Dalia Lama and in remembrance of the dozens of Tibetans who have tragically set themselves on fire this past year to protest repressive Chinese rule, we are pleased to sponsor this event as a peaceful way to bring attention to the issue of human rights abuses in China and Tibet [Autonomous Region of China].” said Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation.
 
Open to the public, the main events are scheduled for this weekend, including a costumed Snow Lion Dance performance, a participatory Om Mani Padme Hum stone painting activity, and the dispersion of the vibrantly colored sacred sand mandala at the conclusion of their visit.
 
For more information call Shaker Village at (603) 783-9511 x230 or visit their event page at shakers.org. Suggested donations are appreciated.

Lantos Foundation & Roosevelt Institute Partnership

2012 FDR International Disability Rights Award Re-Established

CONCORD, NH - The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice is pleased to announce that the FDR International Disability Rights Award will once again be granted to a United Nations Member State. The purpose of the award is to recognize that nation’s significant progress in implementing and meeting the goals and ideals characterized by the UN Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Lantos Foundation President Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett said, "Where there is injustice, people with disabilities often face discrimination and the most appalling treatment. We believe the rights of one are the rights of all, and this work is a natural extension of our efforts on behalf of human rights around the world."

Roosevelt Institute Chair Anna Eleanor Roosevelt said her organization is pleased to have an enthusiastic partner in the Lantos Foundation.  “We have sponsored the award since its beginnings,” she said. “We’re grateful for this partnership and opportunity to once again select a deserving winner."
 
Originally established in 1995, this esteemed award has recognized ten Member States of the United Nations. The last nation to qualify for the award was New Zealand in 2008.

The 2012 recipient will be announced on December 3rd, UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and honored at a presentation ceremony in the spring of 2013.

The award is now administered jointly by the Roosevelt Institute and the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice. It will be presented annually at the United Nations in New York to the Head of State of the honored nation, in the presence of the Secretary General. In addition, a $50,000 cash award will be given to an outstanding non-governmental program (NGO) working in the honored nation on behalf of persons with disabilities.

More information about the award can be found at the FDR International Disability Rights Award website.

Lantos Foundation Co-Sponsors Visit Of The Drepung Gomang Monks To New Hampshire

Visit of the Drepung Gomang Monks to Shaker Village in Canterbury, NH.

The Drepung Gomang Monks will visit the Shaker Village in the days leading up to their season's Opening Day on Sunday, May 20th. We hope you will join us for this special program. In light of the immolations recently reported in the headlines, their visit serves as another reminder of the abuses the Tibetan [Autonomous Region of China] people suffer at the hands of the Chinese government.

Full Details And Registration

Katrina Lantos Swett Featured on C-SPAN's Q&A with Brian Lamb

Lantos Foundation President, Katrina Lantos Swett was featured on C-SPAN's Q&A with Brian Lamb.

During this in-depth interview by Brian Lamb, Katrina spoke about the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice, and her late father, Tom, who co-founded the bipartisan Congressional Human Rights Caucus. She told the story of her parents' experiences during the Holocaust and eventual immigration to the U.S. from Hungary. Other topics included her concerns about Russian leadership pulling the country away from democracy, and her admiration for the Dalai Lama's contributions to human rights.

As always, we appreciate your comments and your support which allow us to continue our work.

Watch the video:

http://www.c-span.org/video/?305009-1/qa-katrina-lantos-swett

Katrina Lantos Swett Appointed to the United States Commission on Internatio​nal Religious Freedom

The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice is pleased to announce that Katrina Lantos Swett has been appointed to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). The appointment was made on Monday, March 26th, 2012 by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

The USCIRF was created by Congress as part of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 and reauthorized by Congress in 2011. The nine Commissioners of this independent, bipartisan advisory body are appointed by the President of the United States and the leadership of both parties in the House and Senate. The Commission’s principalresponsibilities are to review the facts and circumstances of violations of religious freedom internationally and to make policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and Congress.

“As a daughter of Holocaust survivors, I have a profound connection to the issue of religious freedom and a deep understanding of the role that such freedoms can play in our country’s foreign policy decisions.  I am deeply honored to be appointed to the USCIRF and look forward to serving alongside my esteemed fellow Commissioners,” Swettsaid.

Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett established the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice in 2008 to carry on the legacy of her late father, Congressman Tom Lantos the cofounder of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus and the only survivor of the Holocaust ever to serve in the US Congress.  Dr. Lantos Swett currently serves as the Foundation’sPresident and Chief Executive Officer. She teaches Human Rights and American Foreign Policy at Tufts University.  Katrina has also taught at the University of Southern Denmark, served as Director of the Graduate Program in Public Policy at New England College, and worked for then-Senator Joe Biden as Deputy Counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee – Criminal Justice Subcommittee.

Swett graduated from Yale University with a degree in Political Science.  She received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and later earned a PhD in history at The University of Southern Denmark on the topic of Human Rights and American Foreign Policy.

Katrina Lantos Swett is married to Richard Swett, former U.S. Congressman and U.S. Ambassador to Denmark. They are the proud parents of seven children and two grandchildren.  The Swetts reside in Bow, New Hampshire.