Public Statements
Sixty-seven years ago today, on December 10th, 1948, in the aftermath of the Second World War, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
As Co-Chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, we express our serious concern over death penalty convictions handed down by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of Bangladesh to Salauddin Quader Chowdury and Ali Ahsan Mohammed Mujahid despite potential irregularities in their trials.
As Co-Chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, and recognizing the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on November 2, we are troubled by the intensified crackdown on press freedoms in Turkey.
On September 16, the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission was pleased to welcome a delegation from ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) for a briefing on the human rights situation in member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including Burma, where they recently concluded a fact-finding mission.
Twenty-six Members of Congress, including the Co-Chairs and seven other members of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, wrote to President Obama urging him to use Xi Jinping's first official state visit to the United States to address the "difficult issues," including China's persistent and egregious human rights violations.
As Co-Chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, we are deeply concerned about recent events in Cambodia that raise serious questions about the government’s commitment to human rights.
As Co-Chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, we express our deep disappointment over the State Department’s decision, in the newest State Department Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, to upgrade Malaysia from the lowest ranking of Tier 3 to a Tier 2 Watch country.
As Co-Chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, we express our deep concern over the state of human rights in Vietnam.
As Co-Chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, we condemn the Russian Federation’s continued unlawful imprisonment of Ukrainian fighter pilot and Member of Parliament Nadiya Savchenko.