Press Release
Published on June 30, 2017
Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today urged President Trump to use his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to make clear that the United States condemns Russia’s defiance of international norms and commitments at home and abroad. The call came in a letter from Human Rights First’s President and CEO Elisa Massimino to Lieutenant General H. R. McMaster, the U.S. national security advisor.
“In today’s interconnected world—whether it’s transnational terrorist organizations, global pandemics, or actors eager to replace the rule of law and a rules-based international order with the standard that might makes right—the security of Americans is inextricably linked to the security of others. Russia is a key case in point,” Massimino. “There is a straight line between Russian repression at home, the Kremlin’s ability to wage war on a neighbor largely hidden from domestic public scrutiny, and its ability to act with impunity in backing a murderous tyrant in Syria.”
Human Rights First notes that governments that violate human rights and the rule of law at home are more likely to flout the agreed rules of the international system abroad, thereby imperiling the security and prosperity of us all. In order to advance American interests, President Trump should press Moscow to adhere to international norms on human rights, including by raising the following:
“As you prepare for the president’s meetings in Hamburg, I urge you to place these connections front and center on the bilateral agenda. Leading with our values makes our country stronger and more secure,” added Massimino.
