Press Releases
August 5, 2024
Congressmen James P. McGovern and Chris Smith, Co-Chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, issued a joint statement on the release of 16 wrongfully detained prisoners from Russia, including Defending Freedoms Project prisoner of conscience Vladimir Kara-Murza, through a multi-country prisoner exchange on August 1, 2024.
February 23, 2024
Congressmen James P. McGovern and Chris Smith, Co-Chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, join those all around the world who are appalled, saddened and angered by the sudden death while in state custody of Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, and call for full accountability.
December 15, 2023
Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission Co-Chairs Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Chris Smith (R-NJ) issued a joint statement recognizing the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 25th anniversary of the UN Declaration on human rights defenders, and the 15th anniversary of the creation of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.
December 14, 2021
Washington, D.C. - Co-Chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission Congressmen James P. McGovern (D-MA) and Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) signed a bipartisan letter urging Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to give Special Student Relief eligibility to Belarusian students in the U.S. and extend Temporary Protective Status to Belarusian democracy activists in the U.S.
December 14, 2021
Washington, D.C. - Co-Chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission Congressmen James P. McGovern (D-MA) and Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) lead a bipartisan group of 27 House lawmakers in a letter asking the Biden administration to make Tibet a priority.
TLHRC Co-Chairs join 396 members of the House of Representatives to condemn the coup d’état in Burma
March 19, 2021
Washington, D.C. - Congressmen James P. McGovern (D-MA) and Christopher H. Smith, Co-Chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, voted to pass H.Res. 134, a resolution condemning the military coup that took place February 1, 2021 in Burma.
March 19, 2021
Washington, D.C. - Co-Chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission Congressmen Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) and James P. McGovern (D-MA) signed a bipartisan letter urging the Biden administration to fill the role of Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues.
Image
March 13, 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressmen James P. McGovern (D-MA) and Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, issued a statement condemning the unjust detention and prosecution of Belarusian journalist Ihar Losik and calling for his immediate release.
February 16, 2021
Washington, D.C. - Congressmen James P. McGovern (D-MA) and Christopher H. Smith, Co-Chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, called on the government of Rwanda to release Paul Rusesabagina on humanitarian grounds and facilitate his return to the United States.
November 18, 2020
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a resolution introduced by James P. McGovern (D-MA) and cosponsored by Congressman Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) to condemn the poisoning of Russia's most prominent opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, and call on the U.S. to support a thorough and impartial international investigation into the attack.