Lantos Foundation Statement: Restoring U.S. Leadership on Human Rights

Nearly six weeks into new Administration, the human rights community continues to watch carefully to see whether President Biden will seize the opportunity to re-establish the United States as a beacon of hope for freedom, justice and democracy around the world. In some instances, the community has reason to feel encouraged – such as the announcement that the U.S. Government will sanction several Russian individuals and businesses for their involvement in the poisoning of Alexey Navalny. Likewise, the move to sanction the Myanmar generals involved in the coup demonstrated President Biden’s commitment to holding human rights abusers accountable. However, last week the Administration missed an important opportunity with its response to the report that unambiguously identified Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as the impetus behind Jamal Khashoggi’s brutal murder. It cannot be said that the U.S. did nothing, but the State Department’s “Khashoggi Ban” certainly does not hold the most culpable and highest profile human rights abuser to account.  

We recognize that rebuilding America’s diplomatic ties and restoring its credibility on human rights will be a complicated process. We fully understand that each small action taken can have a ripple effect of consequences across a range of geographic areas and political interests. We do not expect the Biden Administration to be able to approach each human rights issue with the boldness and singular focus of, for example, an organization dedicated entirely to advocating for human rights. But we do expect the Administration to make good on its promise for America to, once again, lead on human rights. This will require a strong, unambiguous response to human rights abuses ranging from brutal military coups to extrajudicial killings, oppression of minority communities, and flagrant violations of the rule of law. Sometimes it will require a forceful response even when it comes with a political or diplomatic cost. True leadership is a product of making hard choices, not easy ones.

Sadly, there is no shortage of opportunities for President Biden to demonstrate his commitment to leading on human rights. On February 11, an investigative report was released that clearly identified the would-be assassins of twice poisoned Russian opposition politician Vladimir Kara Murza. The men named in this report could easily be added to the Magnitsky sanctions list. Paul Rusesabagina, the hero of “Hotel Rwanda” and Presidential Medal of Freedom awardee, currently faces a show trial in Kigali, with little hope of ever returning to his home in Texas. The Biden Administration could use its influence to help free Rusesabagina from Rwandan President Paul Kagame’s authoritarian grasp. Hong Kong democracy activists Agnes Chow and Joshua Wong languish in prison; the U.S. could do more to negotiate their release. And millions of Uyghurs are experiencing a modern-day genocide in the Xinjiang province of China; a strong condemnation from the U.S., backed up with substantive economic and political pressure, could ease the plight of this long-suffering but proud Uyghur population.

We urge President Biden to seize the opportunities before him and hope that, in doing so, he will restore America as a beacon of hope and will send a powerful message to countries and leaders who would violate human rights.

Establishing the Senate Human Rights Commission Elevates Human Rights as a Bipartisan Priority

Media Contact:

Chelsea Hedquist

chelsea@lantosfoundation.org

+1 603.229.2017

March 1, 2021 – The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice and 21Wilberforce applaud the introduction of the Senate Resolution Establishing the Senate Human Rights Commission – fully institutionalizing the current Senate Human Rights Caucus and equipping it with the resources to support paid staff. At a time when it is critical to strengthen U.S. leadership on human rights, the Commission would provide a powerful platform for elevating efforts to protect and advance fundamental human rights globally.

The world faces myriad human rights challenges today – from the persecution of ethnic and religious minorities in Burma and China, to the suppression of free speech in Russia, to the rise of authoritarianism in countries around the globe. The U.S. Congress has always played an important role in addressing these challenges and providing global leadership on the most pressing human rights issues of the day, including lending its powerful voice on behalf of the oppressed. Such efforts, however, require a robust framework and dedicated resources.

In 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a resolution to institutionalize the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, founded by Congressman Tom Lantos and Congressman John Porter in 1983, as a full entity in the House – the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and James Lankford (R-Okla.), who introduced the resolution, clearly recognize that it is time for the Senate to follow suit. The existing Senate Human Rights Caucus has provided a valuable forum for dialogue about human rights issues, but its lack of dedicated funding for staff members has long limited its capacity to fully respond to a growing and increasingly urgent set of human rights priorities. By creating a Senate Human Rights Commission with paid staff, the Senate will have the means and resources to strengthen the bipartisan human rights efforts of its Committees and offices through briefings, enhanced collaboration with the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, and leadership on initiatives such as the Defending Freedoms Project to protect prisoners of conscience. The Commission will also bolster opportunities for collaboration between government and civil society on important international human rights priorities. 

Dr. Randel Everett, President of 21Wilberforce, said, “The need for Congressional leadership to preserve and protect fundamental human rights around the world through U.S. foreign policy has never been more critical. A Senate Human Rights Commission would increase the volume and effectiveness of bipartisan work focused on human rights abuses across the world.”

Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation, said, “Global leadership on human rights requires more than words; it requires action and real engagement. My father understood that when he created the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, and I know he would be incredibly proud to see human rights elevated to the level of a Commission in both chambers. The resolution to create a Senate Human Rights Commission signals the Congress’ willingness to dedicate real resources to advancing the bipartisan cause of human rights and fighting against human rights abuses worldwide.”

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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 Lantos 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.

New Episode of The Keeper Podcast: Rule of Law Season – Freedom's Counsel

On the first episode of this Rule of Law season, we talked about the rule of law as a “a government of laws and not men”. Our guest on this episode, Professor Irwin Cotler, has his own shorthand for the rule of law: “the pursuit of justice”. If anyone in this world is intimately familiar with the tireless, unrelenting, undaunted pursuit of justice, it is Irwin Cotler – an accomplished academic, renowned international human rights lawyer, former Member of Parliament in Canada, as well as former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Founder and Chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, and currently Canada’s first ever Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Anti-Semitism. In this episode, we discuss his four decades of serving as counsel for some of the world’s most prominent dissidents and political prisoners of conscience, as well as what he sees as worrying signs of a global resurgence in authoritarianism. 

Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights

For Irwin Cotler, neither a pandemic nor retirement from politics can slow his fight for human rights (The Globe and Mail)

Irwin Cotler named special envoy for Holocaust remembrance and the fight against anti-Semitism (CBC)

Irwin Cotler speaks at the 2012 Oslo Freedom Forum

New Episode of The Keeper Podcast: Rule of Law Season – A Government of Laws Not Men

Rule of Law Season – A Government of Laws Not Men

This episode kicks off our new season, where we will be exploring the significance of three simple words: Rule of Law. But what does that phrase actually mean? Is it an abstraction? An impossible ideal? Or something real and practical that holds democratic societies together? To help answer these questions and more, we spoke to one of America’s preeminent legal scholars on the rule of law, Professor Harold Koh.

Professor Koh is the Sterling Professor of International Law at Yale Law School and one of the Lantos Foundation’s Rule of Law lecturers. In addition to his legal scholarship, he has served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, and as the legal adviser of the State Department. In this episode, we cover everything from what the rule of law means, to where we see it being violated in the world, to how we can best preserve and uphold it at home in America.

Harold Koh Biography

Peter Gruber Rule of Law Clinic

2018 Lantos Rule of Law Lecture

United Nations and the Rule of Law

World Justice Project – What is the Rule of Law

American Bar Association – Rule of Law

Lantos Foundation Statement: A shared commitment to global human rights can help us find common ground

Today, with the inauguration of President Biden, the U.S. observes one of its time-honored traditions and a true cornerstone of democracy – the peaceful transfer of power. In recent days, however, we have seen the rule of law and, indeed, the very fabric of our democracy tested and strained in ways that many of us would never have imagined. The events of January 6 brought into sharp focus the words of our esteemed namesake Congressman Tom Lantos, who often said, “The veneer of civilization is paper thin. We are its guardians, and we can never rest.”

Were Tom with us today, we have no doubt that he would urge us to face the challenges to our democracy at home with vigor, courage and an unrelenting commitment to freedom and justice for all. He would express his optimism that America remains the bedrock of democracy; it will weather the storm of current divisions and threats to its core values, and will emerge a better and more just nation. He would likely invoke another favorite turn of phrase: “We are just bending a windy corner of history, but around this corner are blue skies and wonderful opportunities.”

In 2020, and now into 2021, we have been sorrowfully reminded of the ways in which our country has fallen short of our high ideals. We must resolve to do better at closing this gap at home so we will be worthy of the human rights leadership that we have long exercised around the world. Though politics and pandemics may separate us, we can still come together around our dedication to universal human rights. In the coming year and beyond, it is our hope that a shared commitment to global human rights can help us find common ground and choose to walk a more unified and respectful path.  

We look forward to the coming years of collaboration with President Biden’s administration. Over the course of their more than 30-year relationship as colleagues and dear friends, President Biden and Congressman Lantos often worked closely on human rights issues. We were pleased to honor President Biden in 2018 with our decennial Lantos Legacy Award for his bold defense of human rights. We know that he will continue to be a passionate and steadfast advocate for human rights – both at home and abroad – and we anticipate a strong partnership with his administration on human rights issues ranging from international religious freedom to the rule of law, and many others.

Lantos Foundation Statement: China Must Provide Answers about Jack Ma

The global stir surrounding the mysterious disappearance of business mogul Jack Ma demands answers, and China must provide these immediately. If Ma is “laying low”, as has been reported, then he is clearly doing so out of fear that he will be taken into custody by the Chinese government for nothing more than achieving a level of success that Chinese Communist Party officials have deemed unacceptable. If the worst has happened and Ma has been disappeared against his will, it is an outrageous human rights violation that should prompt governments to respond forcefully and without delay. Moreover, such an abuse would starkly indicate that the global business community cannot trust China, which is clearly not afraid to threaten and intimidate those that are part of international business at the very highest levels. For years, China has manipulated global corporations and industries that wish to do business inside its borders, and now the government appears to be attacking the very businessmen that have helped put the country front and center in the global economy.

We call on global corporations and governments around the world to demand answers about Jack Ma from the Chinese, and we counsel them to be very wary of the corrupt and lawless Chinese government. China’s economic might should never provide cover for its appalling human rights abuses.

Lantos Foundation Statement: Elevating Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism to Ambassador-at-large demonstrates America’s commitment to fighting this enduring evil

We welcome the news that the U.S. Senate has passed a bill that would elevate the position of Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism to the level of Ambassador-at-large. At a time when we have seen an alarming resurgence of anti-Semitism around the world, this bill provides an important signal that the United States Government takes the threat of rising anti-Semitism very seriously and is fully committed to fighting against this pernicious and enduring evil. Since its inception, the Special Envoy position has attracted an impressive cadre of dedicated men and women that have worked tirelessly for this important cause under distinguished but sometimes austere conditions. This bill will not only send a strong message about the gravitas of the position – it will also strengthen the U.S. Department of State’s vital work to monitor and combat anti-Semitism in very real and practical terms, by increasing the funding for this office and expanding access to the Secretary of State for the Ambassador-at-large.

The role of Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism was established by the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act of 2004. The Foundation’s namesake, the late Congressman Tom Lantos, originally introduced the House version of this law and advocated passionately for its adoption. As the only Holocaust survivor ever elected to Congress, Tom knew better than almost anyone about the dangers of allowing anti-Semitism to grow unchecked. He was deeply committed to ensuring that America, his beloved adopted homeland, played a significant and leading role in stemming the tide of anti-Semitism globally. We know that Tom would applaud the elevation of the Special Envoy role to that of Ambassador-at-large. He would remind us that we are, indeed, our brother’s keeper and that discrimination, hatred or violence directed against any group is a danger to us all.

We look forward to seeing this bill become law in the near future and to continuing to work with the State Department on the issue of combatting anti-Semitism.

Lantos Foundation Announces Bryan Stevenson as the 2020 Lantos Human Rights Prize Recipient

Media Contact:
Chelsea Hedquist
chelsea@lantosfoundation.org

+1 603.229.2017

Lantos Foundation Announces Bryan Stevenson as the 2020 Lantos Human Rights Prize Recipient
Founder of the Equal Justice Initiative and author of “Just Mercy” becomes first Lantos Prize laureate whose work focuses primarily on U.S. domestic human rights issues

December 10, 2020 – On Human Rights Day, the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice announced that Bryan Stevenson will receive the 2020 Lantos Human Rights Prize for his powerful advocacy work urging the United States to apply the rule of law equally and to deal more honestly and openly with its history of inequality. Additionally, Mr. Stevenson has worked tirelessly for more than three decades on behalf of incarcerated people who have been wrongly convicted or unfairly sentenced.

“We are thrilled to honor Bryan Stevenson as our 2020 Lantos Prize laureate,” said Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation. “His perseverance and dedication to the cause of equality serves as a powerful reminder that the fight for human rights must begin here at home. To maintain the United States’ legitimacy and moral authority as a human rights leader globally, we must be willing to confront our own shortcomings and work with vigor to address them. Mr. Stevenson’s life’s work offers an example of how to do this with dignity and compassion, and the Lantos Prize honors him for more than the pursuit of civil rights – it honors him for a truly defining work of human rights.”

The Lantos Human Rights Prize is awarded annually to raise awareness about human rights issues and to highlight the brave individuals who are committed to fighting for them throughout the world. The Prize also serves to commemorate Congressman Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor ever elected to the U.S. Congress and a prominent advocate for human rights worldwide during his nearly three decades in office. Mr. Stevenson joins a distinguished list of Lantos Prize recipients, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Professor Elie Wiesel, Israeli President Shimon Peres, “mother” of the Uyghurs Rebiya Kadeer, “Hotel Rwanda” hero Paul Rusesabagina, Hong Kong Democracy activist Joshua Wong, and Bill Browder, the moving force behind the global Magnitsky movement, among others.

“It is an incredible honor to receive the Lantos Human Rights Prize and to have my work recognized alongside that of so many inspiring human rights figures,” said Mr. Stevenson. “At a moment when our nation faces many challenges but also many opportunities for progress in the long fight for equality, it is both affirming and motivating to know that the Lantos Foundation, an organization with an incredible legacy and vital mission, believes my work is symbolic of the struggle for human rights. Through this Prize, I am grateful to have the fight for equality and justice here in America acknowledged as having a place in the global human rights movement.”

Since 1989, Mr. Stevenson has been executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), a private, nonprofit law organization he founded that focuses on social justice and human rights in the context of criminal justice reform in the United States. EJI litigates on behalf of condemned prisoners, juvenile offenders, people wrongly convicted or charged, poor people denied effective representation, and others whose trials are marked by racial bias or prosecutorial misconduct. Mr. Stevenson’s work has won him national and international acclaim, including the MacArthur Fellowship Award Prize, the Reebok Human Rights Award, the 1991 ACLU National Medal of Liberty, the Olaf Palme Prize in Stockholm, Sweden, the Award for Courageous Advocacy from the American College of Trial Lawyers, and the Lawyer for the People Award from the National Lawyers Guild. In 2006, he was named the Public Interest Lawyer of the Year by the National Association of Public Interest Lawyers. He is the author of the New York Times Bestseller Just Mercy, which won the 2015 Carnegie Medal for Best Non-Fiction, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and the NAACP Image Award for Best Non-Fiction. 

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Lantos Human Rights Prize ceremony will be postponed until 2021, and more information will be shared with members of the media as details become available.

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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 Lantos 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.

Lantos Foundation Statement on 2020 Election: Democracy remains the vibrant cornerstone of the United States of America

As the 2020 Presidential Election comes to a close, America has once again demonstrated its commitment to the Rule of Law and democracy.  Our country’s fundamental belief that every vote counts has led us to a delayed but very deliberate election result. We recognize that no system is perfect and the United States of America is a work in progress, but our adherence to the Rule of Law is fundamental to the fabric of our country.  We may have much yet to do in order to keep the country moving towards the ideal of “a more perfect union”, but we gratefully acknowledge that we, unlike so many countries around the world, have the basic rights, freedoms and protections in place to make progress possible.

The 2020 election saw record levels of turnout, with nearly 150 million Americans casting a vote. Regardless of individual preference for the outcome, all Americans should celebrate what this means for democracy. Amid a very fraught and contentious election occurring simultaneously with an unprecedented global pandemic, the record turnout, largely peaceful voting and thorough counting process should reassure us all that America’s democracy remains the vibrant cornerstone of this great country. 

The Lantos Foundation today congratulates former Vice President Joe Biden on his election as the next President of the United States. Vice President Biden’s close friendship and partnership with the Foundation’s namesake Congressman Tom Lantos spanned more than three decades, and throughout the years they often worked closely on issues related to human rights. We were pleased to honor Vice President Biden with our decennial Lantos Legacy Award in 2018 for his strong record on human rights and his bold defense of human rights for people around the world. We look forward to working with the Biden administration to further the causes that Tom Lantos held dear and which are central to our mission, such as international religious freedom and Rule of Law, among others.

We hope that 2021 brings a renewed and more unified commitment to ensuring justice and equality for all Americans here at home, as well as a more united effort to fight for the human rights people in every corner of the globe. As Tom Lantos often said, “The primary obligation of every human being is to speak out against injustice. We are our brother’s keeper.”

Lantos Foundation Launches Scholarship Contest for NH Students

Activist Artist Scholarship honors artists’ contribution to human rights

CONCORD: Today the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice launched a new scholarship contest for graduating New Hampshire high school seniors. The Activist Artist Scholarship challenges applicants to examine the influence of a particular Activist Artist and show how that artist used his/her medium to influence, inform and inspire during their lifetime or beyond. Alternatively, applicants may choose to submit their own original piece of activist art.

The scholarship competition is open to all New Hampshire residents who will graduate high school in Spring 2021 and intend to enroll in a 2- or 4-year college program in the Fall of 2021. The scholarship winner will receive $5,000, while up to two runners-up will each receive $2,500 – to be paid directly to their intended college or university. Funding for the scholarship is generously provided through a grant from the Bank of New Hampshire.

“Giving back to our communities is not just about making the donation, it’s about making a difference,” stated Cydney Shapleigh, EVP – Chief Wealth Management Officer for Bank of New Hampshire. “We embrace our responsibility to be a leading corporate citizen. By supporting organizations like the Lantos Foundation, we can help strengthen our communities and enhance the lives of our neighbors in impactful ways.”  

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. They use their talents to challenge, educate and move communities toward understanding, acceptance and change. Through the Activist Artist Scholarship, and other programs, the Foundation seeks to encourage, support and elevate the work of Activist Artists.  

Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation, issued the following statement:

“My father Tom Lantos was a noted human rights hero, but he was also an educator by profession and a great admirer of the arts. This scholarship combines many of the things that he valued, while encouraging the next generation to understand and embrace the powerful connection between the arts and human rights. I am very excited to see what I’m sure will be amazing ideas and contributions from students from across the Granite State.”

2021 Scholarship Timeline, Eligibility & Award 

Timeline: 

• Monday, October 26, 2020:  Activist Artist Scholarship Application Opens  

• Friday, January 8, 2021: Deadline for Activist Artist Scholarship Application Submissions 

• Friday, February 26, 2021: Activist Artist Scholarship Winner(s) Announced 

Eligibility Requirements: Scholarship eligibility will be limited to graduating high school seniors who are residents of New Hampshire that intend to enter a 2- or 4-year undergraduate degree program in the Fall of 2021.

Award: The Activist Artist Scholarship winner will receive a $5,000 award payable to his/her intended college or university.  Up to two runner-up awards will be awarded in the amount of $2,500 each, payable to the intended college or university.

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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.