Public Statements
The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission commends Rep. Aaron Schock for his work in securing the freedom of Dr. Tun Aung, a prisoner of conscience from Myanmar. Rep. Schock traveled to Myanmar earlier this month to personally petition the government for Dr. Aung’s release and was in Yangon to meet with him when he was freed.
Washington - Today marks the 70th anniversary of the liberation by Soviet troops of Auschwitz, the most notorious of the network of camps established and operated by Nazi Germany to carry out the Holocaust, the systematic state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews.
Washington, DC - Today, December 10, 2014, the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission joins the global community in celebrating Human Rights Day, which marks the 66th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Commission strongly endorses this year’s theme, “Human Rights 365,” recognizing that human rights must be respected and celebrated every day of the year.
On November 19, 2014, the co-chairmen of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission sent a letter to Secretary Kerry urging the Administration to fully enforce the Child Soldiers Prevention Act. In 2008, members of the U.S. Congress adopted the Child Soldiers Prevention Act in order to help curb this egregious practice.
On September 11, 2014, the co-chairmen of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission sent a letter to Secretary Kerry urging him to pay careful attention to the situation of Maryam al-Khawaja. Ms. al-Khawaja, a human rights defender in Bahrain, has been detained since August 30th, on the charge of assaulting a police officer -- an offense for which there is no evidence.
On September 3, 2014, the co-chairmen of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission issued a letter to recently appointed Under Secretary of State Sarah Sewall. The letter congratulated the Under Secretary on her new post and encouraged her to improve efforts on the part of the United States and other governments to take a more active approach to the human rights situation in Tibet.