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press release
U.S. Delegation to OSCE PA Drives International Action against Human Trafficking, Discrimination, and Anti-Semitism
Friday, July 08, 2016WASHINGTON—Seven members of Congress traveled to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) Annual Session in Tbilisi, Georgia last week to demonstrate the U.S. commitment to the principles of the Helsinki Final Act, including respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. At the Annual Session, which brought together nearly 300 parliamentarians from 54 of the 57 OSCE participating States, the U.S. lawmakers introduced several successful resolutions and amendments targeting current challenges facing the OSCE region, ranging from human trafficking to discrimination and anti-Semitism to the abuse of Interpol mechanisms to target political opponents and activists. The delegation included Helsinki Commission Chairman Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Co-Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker (MS), Commissioner Rep. Robert Aderholt (AL-04), Commissioner Rep. Randy Hultgren (IL-14), Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-08), Rep. Richard Hudson (NC-08), and Rep. David Schweikert (AZ-06). Rep. Aderholt currently serves as a vice-president of the OSCE PA, while Sen. Wicker was re-elected to a third term as chair of the OSCE PA Committee on Political Affairs and Security, also known as the First Committee, during the annual meeting. Chairman Smith led international lawmakers in battling international human trafficking and child sex tourism through a successful resolution calling on all OSCE participating States to raise awareness of sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism (SECTT), especially by convicted pedophiles, business travelers, and tourists. Chairman Smith, who serves as the OSCE PA Special Representative on Human Trafficking Issues, also hosted a July 3 briefing on U.S. efforts to prevent SECTT through a new international reciprocal notification system – known as International Megan's Law – that facilitates timely communications among law enforcement agencies. A second U.S. resolution, authored by OSCE PA Special Representative for Anti-Semitism, Racism and Intolerance and Helsinki Commission Ranking Sen. Ben Cardin (MD), called for action against the anti-Semitic and racist violence sweeping across North America and Europe. The resolution, which passed overwhelmingly, urged members of the OSCE to develop a plan of action to implement its long-standing body of tolerance and non-discrimination agreements, called for international efforts to address racial profiling, and offered support for increased efforts by political leaders to stem the tide of hate across the region. The resolution was fielded by Commissioner Hultgren. Chairman Smith also called on participating States to more effectively prevent and combat violence against European Jewish communities through the introduction of two amendments to the resolution of the OSCE PA General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions (also known as the Third Committee). His first amendment called for the explicit recognition of the increase in anti-Semitic attacks in the region, while the second encouraged participating States to formally recognize and partner with Jewish community groups. Responding the abuse of Interpol systems for politically motivated harassment by Russia and other members of the OSCE, Co-Chairman Wicker authored a successful amendment to the First Committee resolution, which called on participating States to stop the inappropriate placement of Red Notices and encouraged Interpol to implement mechanisms preventing politically motivated abuse of its legitimate services. The amendment was fielded by Rep. Hudson. During the Annual Session, members of the delegation also offered strong support for important resolutions fielded by other countries, including one by Ukraine on human rights in illegally occupied Crimea and another on the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear accident. They voted for a highly relevant resolution on combating corruption fielded by Sweden, and helped to defeat a Russian resolution attacking the Baltic States, Poland and Ukraine in the context of combating neo-Nazism. U.S. delegates indicated their support for the work of attending Azerbaijani human rights activists, and met with attending members of the Israeli Knesset. While in Tbilisi, the group also met with several high-ranking Georgian officials, including Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili; Tedo Japaridze, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Parliament of Georgia; Mikheil Janelidze, Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs; and David Bakradze, Georgian Minister of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.
press release
Chairman Smith Leads International Legislators against Human Trafficking, Child Sex Tourism
Monday, July 04, 2016WASHINGTON—The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly passed a resolution authored by Helsinki Commission Chairman Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) against international human trafficking and child sex tourism. The resolution was passed at the 2016 annual session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), and has an agenda-setting effect for the 57-member intergovernmental organization. Smith, who leads the U.S. Delegation to this year's OSCE PA Annual Session, introduced a resolution calling on all OSCE participating States to work with the private sector and civil society to raise awareness of sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism (SECTT), especially by convicted pedophiles, business travelers, and tourists. The resolution also urges all OSCE participating States to enact laws allowing them to prosecute their citizens and legal permanent residents for child sexual exploitation committed abroad, and to strengthen international law enforcement cooperation to ensure that nations know about travel by convicted pedophiles prior to their arrival. "More children than ever before are being exploited – child sex tourism is soaring while protection lags," said Chairman Smith. "We must work together to protect children from convicted pedophiles and opportunistic predators who exploit local children with impunity during their travels abroad. Prevention and prosecution should go hand in hand." In addition to introducing the SECTT resolution, Chairman Smith hosted a July 3 briefing on U.S. efforts to prevent SECTT through a new international reciprocal notification system – known as International Megan's Law – that facilitates timely communications among law enforcement agencies. "Child predators thrive on secrecy – a secrecy that allows them to commit heinous crimes against the weakest and most vulnerable," said Chairman Smith. "Recent changes in the laws of the United States and partner countries are putting child predators on the radar when they travel internationally, but much remains to be done." Chairman Smith has served as OSCE PA Special Representative on Human Trafficking Issues since 2004. His efforts to raise the profile of the human trafficking problem in the OSCE region are reflected in the 2013 Addendum to the OSCE Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings, and have prompted other parliamentarians to take the lead in addressing human trafficking in their respective capitals. Chairman Smith first raised the issue of human trafficking at the 1999 St. Petersburg Annual Session, the first time it appeared on the OSCE agenda. Since then, he has introduced or cosponsored a supplementary item and/or amendments on trafficking at each annual session of the OSCE PA, including on issues such as sex tourism prevention, training of the transportation sector in victim identification and reporting, corporate responsibility for trafficking in supply chains, and special protections for vulnerable populations. In addition to authoring the 2016 International Megan's Law to Prevent Child Exploitation and Other Sexual Crimes through Advanced Notification of Traveling Sex Offenders, he authored the landmark U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 and its 2003 and 2005 reauthorizations. Chairman Smith co-chairs the United States Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus.
press release
Chairman Smith Champions Improved Security for European Jewish Communities at Annual Meeting of OSCE Parliamentarians
Sunday, July 03, 2016WASHINGTON—At the 2016 OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) Annual Session, meeting in Tbilisi, Georgia this week, Helsinki Commission Chair Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) today called on participating States to more effectively prevent and combat violence against European Jewish communities in the face of increasing anti-Semitic violence in the region. "Violent anti-Semitic attacks are on the rise in several European countries – and there is a lot more we can do to stop it," said Chairman Smith, who led the U.S. delegation to the event. "European police and security forces should be partnering with Jewish community security groups, and the United States government should be working with the European governments to encourage this. The terrorist threat to European Jewish communities is more deadly than ever. We must act to prevent a repeat of the horrific massacres of Paris and Copenhagen." Chairman Smith offered two amendments to the draft resolution of the OSCE PA General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions (also known as the Third Committee). His first amendment called for the explicit recognition of the increase in frequency, scope, and severity of anti-Semitic attacks in the OSCE region, while the second called on participating States to formally recognize and partner with Jewish community groups to strengthen crisis prevention, preparedness, mitigation, and responses related to anti-Semitic attacks. Both amendments reflect consultations with and requests from European Jewish communities. Chairman Smith has a long record as a leader in the fight against anti-Semitism. He co-chairs the Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism in the U.S. House of Representatives and authored the provisions of the U.S. Global Anti-Semitism Review Act of 2004 that created the Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism within the U.S. State Department. In 2015, he authored House Resolution 354, a blueprint for strengthening the safety and security of European Jewish communities. Following his landmark 2002 hearing on combating the escalation of anti-Semitic violence in Europe, "Escalating Anti-Semitic Violence in Europe," he led a congressional drive to place the issue of combating anti-Semitism at the top of the OSCE agenda. As part of this effort he authored supplemental resolutions on combating anti-Semitism, which were adopted at the 2002, 2003, and 2004 Annual Sessions of the OSCE PA. In 2004 the OSCE adopted new norms for its participating States on fighting anti-Semitism. Chairman Smith is a founding member of the the Inter-Parliamentary Coalition for Combating Anti-Semitism (ICCA), where he also serves on the steering committee. In the 1990s, he chaired Congress's first hearings on anti-Semitism and in the early 1980s, his first trips abroad as a member of Congress were to the former Soviet Union, where he fought for the release of Jewish "refuseniks."
NATO's Warsaw Summit and the Future of European Security
Thursday, June 23, 2016This briefing, conducted two weeks prior to the NATO summit in Warsaw, discussed the prospects and challenges expected to factor into the negotiations. Key among these were Russian aggression and NATO enlargement, cybersecurity, and instability along NATO's southern border. Mr. Pisarski's testimony focused mainly on the challenge posed by Russian aggression and the role played by NATO's partners in maintaining stability in Eastern Europe. Dr. Binnendijk commented on seven areas he argued the Alliance should make progress on at the Warsaw summit, centering mainly around unity, deterrent capability, and the Alliance's southern strategy. Rear Admiral Gumataotao provided a unique insight into NATO Allied Command Transformation's core tasks and their expectations for Warsaw. The question and answer period featured a comment from Georgian Ambassador Gegeshidze, who spoke about his country's stake in the Summit's conclusions in the context of the ongoing Russian occupation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The Helsinki Process: A Four Decade Overview
Monday, February 01, 2016In August 1975, the heads of state or government of 35 countries – the Soviet Union and all of Europe except Albania, plus the United States and Canada – held a historic summit in Helsinki, Finland, where they signed the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. This document is known as the Helsinki Final Act or the Helsinki Accords. The Conference, known as the CSCE, continued with follow-up meetings and is today institutionalized as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE, based in Vienna, Austria. Learn more about the signature of the Helsinki Final Act; the role that the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe played during the Cold War; how the Helsinki Process successfully adapted to the post-Cold War environment of the 1990s; and how today's OSCE can and does contribute to regional security, now and in the future.
OSCE Foreign Ministers Meet in Belgrade
Friday, January 15, 2016Serbia's year-long chairmanship of the OSCE culminated in Belgrade in the annual meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council on December 3 and 4, 2015. Key issues addressed in the context of Ministerial discussions included: Ongoing efforts to de-escalate the Russia-Ukraine crisis and the need for Russia to fully implement the Minsk Agreements. Reaffirmation of the Helsinki Final Act and subsequent commitments and the comprehensive nature of security (i.e., respect for fundamental freedoms within a state has an impact on the security between states). The assault on human dignity and human rights, including through terrorist attacks, the continued rollback on rights and freedoms in the OSCE area, and the refugee and migration crisis. Secretary of State John Kerry led the U.S. delegation, which also included Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland; Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Robert Berschinski; Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central Asia Daniel N. Rosenblum; and Helsinki Commission Senior Senate Staff Representative Ambassador David T. Killion. The atmosphere was strained, as tensions between Ukraine and Russia, Russia and Turkey, and Armenia and Azerbaijan spilled over into the negotiations. As Russia blocked virtually all decisions on human rights, as well as on the migration crisis and on gender issues, only a handful of documents were adopted. Successful declarations addressed recent terrorist attacks in the OSCE region, combating violent extremism that leads to terrorism, and addressing the illicit drug trade.
press release
Helsinki Commission Chair Honored by American Hungarian Federation
Friday, October 23, 2015WASHINGTON—The American Hungarian Federation honored Helsinki Commission Chair Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) on October 22 with its Colonel Commandant Michael Kovats Medal of Freedom, awarded to outstanding individuals to recognize their life's achievements, dedication to freedom and democracy, promotion of transatlantic relations, and meritorious contribution to society. "I am delighted to have received the Kovats award, which represents the long-standing commitment of Hungarian Americans to the United States and is a testament to the special ties between our two nations," said Rep. Smith. "Colonel Kovats gave his life for the cause of freedom during the American Revolution, and truly embodied the courage and patriotism of the Hungarian people. This courage was reflected during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution against the Soviet-installed communist dictatorship, which remains a model of patriotism, heroism and resistance against tyranny." Rep. Dan Lipinski (IL-03) was also honored with the Kovats Medal by the American Hungarian Federation, which was founded in 1906. It is the largest Hungarian-American umbrella organization in the United States and among the oldest ethnic organizations in the country. "Rep. Smith is a strong supporter of good bilateral relations with Hungary, and recognizes that the U.S. has a strategic interest in maintaining good ties with that country," said Frank Koszorús, Jr., National President of the American Hungarian Federation. "He steadfastly promotes human rights and democracy, and has traveled to Budapest to better gauge what is happening on the ground and to understand the country, its people, its hopes and fears, and its accomplishments over the centuries." Also attending Thursday's event, which marked the 59th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, were Hungarian Ambassador Réka Szemerkényi, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25), and Rep. Dennis Ross (FL-15). "It was in the month of October, on the twenty-third day in 1956, that the small Eastern European nation of Hungary rose up in a revolution against the Soviet Union that represented the first major challenge to its military dominion since World War II… this was David facing down Goliath in the modern era, and as such it remains and will remain an inspiration to freedom loving people everywhere," said Dr. Louis S. Segesvary of the American Hungarian Federation. "Hungary and the United States share a similar past. Both risked revolutions against the greatest powers of their times." "Almost 60 years after the Hungarian revolution, and more than 25 years after the regime change, it is more important than ever for Hungarians and Americans alike to remember that communism was not a beautiful utopia," said Marion Smith, Executive Director of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, which co-hosted the program. "It was and is an ideology that enables tyranny. Communist regimes everywhere systematically killed a portion of their own people as a matter of policy in peacetime, denied citizens their basic rights, robbed them of their food and of their labor, and tore families apart in maintaining a police state."
Bipartisan Congressional Delegation Represents US at OSCE Parliamentary Assembly; Also Visits Ukraine, Czech Republic
Monday, August 17, 2015Forty years after the signing of the Helsinki Final Act established the precursor to today's Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), five members of the Helsinki Commission and four other members of Congress traveled to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Annual Session in Helsinki to demonstrate the U.S. commitment to confronting Russian aggression in Ukraine and elsewhere. Led by Commission Co-Chairman Senator Roger F. Wicker (MS), the bicameral, bipartisan delegation organized by the Helsinki Commission included Commission Chairman Representative Chris Smith (NJ- 04); House Commissioners Robert B. Aderholt (AL-04), Steve Cohen (TN-09) and Alan Grayson (FL-09); and Representatives Gwen Moore (WI-04), Michael Fitzpatrick (PA-08), Richard Hudson (NC-08) and Ruben Gallego (AZ-07). Before attending the Annual Session from July 5 to 7, several members of the delegation also visited Ukraine and the Czech Republic. A central concern to the delegation throughout the trip was Russia's restrictions on democracy at home and aggression in Ukraine, along with Russia's threat to European security.
press release
Chairman Smith and Rep. McGovern Introduce "Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act"
Friday, January 30, 2015WASHINGTON—Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-02), today introduced the "Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act" (H.R. 624). The bill prohibits foreign human rights offenders and corrupt officials operating anywhere in the world from entering into the United States and blocks their U.S. assets. It effectively globalizes and strengthens the "Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012," which was directed at individuals and entities from Russia. "The 'Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act' is a game-changer, and demonstrates America's commitment to protecting human rights worldwide," said Chairman Smith. "We are sending a message to the world's worst human rights violators: we will shine a spotlight on your crimes. We will deny your visas. We will freeze your assets. No matter who you are or how much money you have, you won't be enjoying the fruits of your misdeeds by visiting the United States or taking advantage of our financial institutions." "We have made important progress in the last few years," Rep. McGovern said. "But since the introduction of the original Magnitsky Act, human rights defenders and anti-corruption activists worldwide have urged us to pass a law that covers similar violations in countries other than Russia. Through the Global Magnitsky Act, we can better standardize our approach to human rights violators and provide clear guidance to the executive branch on how we expect these perpetrators to be held accountable." "Conscripting child soldiers, kidnapping political opponents, and brutalizing people based on their religion are horrifying acts for which people must be held accountable – and this bill will do it," said Chairman Smith. "The earlier Magnitsky Act enjoyed overwhelmingly bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate. I expect the Global Magnitsky Act to move forward with the same level of commitment in both chambers, and on both sides of the aisle." Earlier this week, Senators Ben Cardin (MD) and John McCain (AZ) introduced similar legislation in the Senate, which also applies worldwide and employs visa bans and property freezes. Unique aspects of the House bill include the requirement that the President impose sanctions if he or she determines that a foreign person has committed gross human rights offenses. The bill also permits the President to sanction perpetrators regardless of whether the victims were exercising or defending basic human rights; requires that the annual Global Magnitsky List be released each year on Human Rights Day; and directs the Comptroller General to assess and report on implementation. Both the "Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act" and the earlier "Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012" were inspired by Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who was arrested and imprisoned by the Russian government following his investigation into fraud involving Russian officials. He was beaten to death by prison guards in 2009 after being held in torturous conditions for 11 months without trial. Summary: The "Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act" This act requires the President to publish and update a list of foreign persons or entities that the President determines are responsible, and who the President has sanctioned, for gross violations of internationally recognized human rights – including extrajudicial killings, torture, enforced disappearances, and prolonged, arbitrary detention – or significant corruption. Known as the Global Magnitsky List, the list will be due annually on December 10 (Human Rights Day). Although the bill directs the President to prioritize cases where the victims were seeking to exercise or defend internationally recognized human and rights and freedoms, like freedom of religious, assembly, and expression, or expose illegal government activity, the President can act regardless of the victim. Sanctions on these individuals and entities will include: Prohibiting or revoking U.S. visas or other entry documentation for foreign individuals. Freezing and prohibiting U.S. property transactions of a foreign individual or entity if such property and property interests are in the United States; come within the United States; or are in, or come within, the control of a U.S. person or entity. This act also requires the Comptroller General of the United States to assess the implementation of the law and report to Congress, so that Congress can ensure it is being executed fully.
press release
U.S. Helsinki Commission Chair Notes Challenges, Need for Action on International Human Rights Day
Wednesday, December 10, 2014WASHINGTON—To mark International Human Rights Day, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (MD), Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, issued the following statement: "It has been a difficult year for those of us who are active in human rights in the OSCE region. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has flagrantly violated the principles enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act, exacerbated regional security, and further revealed the weaknesses of Russia's own democracy . The space for civil society – the guardians of the rule of law and fundamental freedoms – is shrinking in more than a few of our participating States, including Russia, Azerbaijan, and Hungary, breeding abuse of power and corruption. We have been appalled by violent anti-Semitic attacks and a rising tide of intolerance across the OSCE region against minorities and other vulnerable populations. Uzbekistan holds the world's longest-imprisoned journalist, who languishes alongside of thousands of political prisoners. "Clearly, the challenges for the countries of the OSCE are as great as ever. We look forward to supporting Serbia's 2015 chairmanship of the OSCE, which offers an opportunity both for the country and for the organization. As the effective successor to the only country to be suspended from the Helsinki process, Serbia is a concrete example of how a country can turn things around and how the OSCE can contribute. "In particular, we urge Serbia to build on decisions adopted at last week's Basel Ministerial Council on combating anti-Semitism and corruption. These are challenges faced by virtually every OSCE participating State. We hope that Serbia will move forward with conviction to support these initiatives and to defend and advocate for the Helsinki principles throughout the region." December 10, International Human Rights Day, celebrates the adoption of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights by the UN General Assembly on December 10, 1948.
Combating Corruption in the OSCE Region: The Link between Security and Good Governance
Wednesday, November 19, 2014Combating corruption is increasingly recognized as the critical factor in ensuring long-term security, because corruption creates fertile ground for social upheaval and instability. The change in government in Ukraine in 2014 was a prime example of how corruption can fuel legitimate popular discontent. Although the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has created new tools to address corruption, tackling the problem requires more than raising awareness and sharing best practices. In many OSCE participating States, systemic issues including lack of media freedom, lack of political will, and lack of an independent judiciary contribute substantially to persistent high-level and low-level corruption. The hearing drew attention to the work of the OSCE in combating corruption in all 57 participating States, with a particular emphasis on the need to build effective institutions and the important role played by civil society in combatting corruption.
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Helsinki Commission to Hold Hearing on Combating Corruption
Wednesday, November 12, 2014WASHINGTON—The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, today announced the following hearing: "Combating Corruption in the OSCE Region: The Link between Security and Good Governance" Wednesday, November 19, 2014 10:00AM U.S. Capitol Visitor Center Room SVC 203-202 Combating corruption is increasingly recognized as the critical factor in ensuring long-term security, because corruption creates fertile ground for social upheaval and instability. The change in government in Ukraine earlier this year is a prime example of how corruption can fuel legitimate popular discontent. Although the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has created new tools to address corruption, tackling the problem requires more than raising awareness and sharing best practices. In many OSCE participating States, systemic issues including lack of media freedom, lack of political will, and lack of an independent judiciary contribute substantially to persistent high-level and low-level corruption. The hearing will draw attention to the work of the OSCE in combating corruption in all 57 participating States, with a particular emphasis on the need to build effective institutions and the important role played by civil society in combatting corruption. The following witnesses are scheduled to testify: Halil Yurdakul Yigitgüden, Coordinator for Economic and Environmental Affairs, OSCE Khadija Ismayilova, Host of "Isden Sonra" ("After Work"), RFE/RL Azerbaijani Service Shaazka Beyerle, Visiting Scholar at the Center for Transatlantic Relations, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, and Senior Advisor with the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict Anders Åslund, Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics
Annual OSCE Human Rights Meeting Dominated by Russia and Ukraine
Thursday, November 06, 2014Representatives of governments and civil society from OSCE participating States met in Warsaw, Poland, from September 22 to October 3, 2014 for the annual Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM). The meeting was organized by the OSCE office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) under the leadership of its newly-appointed Director Michael Link. This year's annual OSCE human dimension implementation meeting drew 1,225 participants from 53 countries, including 700 NGOs. There were an unprecedented 82 side events on specific countries or issues. The session on tolerance and nondiscrimination was the most oversubscribed of the three-hour sessions with 85 people vying for the speaker's list. Other specific topics for HDIM sessions included violence against women, rights of migrants and right of national minorities. In this issue: About the U.S. HDIM Delegation Russia Takes Propaganda Campaign to Warsaw OSCE Ambassadors Visit Auschwitz Civil Society Speaks Up
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Helsinki Commission on Opening of Europe's Largest Human Rights Meeting
Monday, September 22, 2014WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (MD), Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission) and Representative Chris Smith (NJ-04), Co-Chairman of the Commission, released the following statement ahead of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) annual high-level meeting on human rights. From September 22-October 3, civil society and government representatives of OSCE participating States will gather in Warsaw, Poland, for the annual Human Dimension Implementation Meeting to discuss compliance with the full range of OSCE human dimension commitments, with special focus on migrant rights, minority issues, and combating violence against women and children. "The Human Dimension Implementation Meeting takes place while Russian aggression in Ukraine continues to threaten basic OSCE principles. I expect this will be a major focus of the meeting, as well as Russian actions at home that are cynically rolling back the ability of civil society to comment on or contribute to how that country functions," said Chairman Cardin. "I am pleased that Professor Brian Atwood will head the U.S. Delegation at this critical time. The promises OSCE states made to one another almost 25 years ago, that respect for human rights within any country is a matter of concern for all states, has guided us and must continue to do so. I also welcome the leadership of the U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE, Daniel Baer, who will be taking a high-level study group to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp." Co-Chairman Smith said, "The Russian government's gross human rights violations in Ukraine must be a central topic of discussion at the Human Dimension meeting. HDIM is an indispensable tool for holding states accountable to OSCE commitments and most effective when both government and civil society representatives have equal opportunity to debate each state's human rights record. One issue that states and civil society must discuss this year in Warsaw, and at the OSCE "Berlin Plus 10" anti-Semitism conference in November, is the alarming rise of anti-Semitic incidents in the OSCE region. The OSCE must also continue to combat trafficking in human beings, including through fulfilling commitments taken last year to train transportation workers to identify possible victims and to improve law enforcement information sharing internationally on potential sex tourists. Commitments are made to be kept."
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Commission to Hold Hearing with OSCE Human Rights Appointees
Tuesday, July 15, 2014WASHINGTON—Today the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission) announced the following hearing: Anti-Semitism, Racism and Discrimination in the OSCE Region Tuesday, July 22, 2014 10:00 a.m. Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 562 Following an escalation of anti-Semitic hate crimes a decade ago, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) intensified efforts to combat prejudice and discrimination throughout Eurasia and North America. Since 2004, three Personal Representatives have been appointed annually by the OSCE Chair-in-Office (currently Switzerland) to address anti-Semitism; racism, xenophobia, and discrimination including against Christians and members of other religions; and intolerance and discrimination against Muslims. In an official joint visit to the United States, the Personal Representatives will address progress and ongoing challenges in the OSCE region a decade after the creation of their positions. The following witnesses are scheduled to testify: Rabbi Andrew Baker, Personal Representative on Combating Anti-Semitism Professor Talip Küçukcan, Personal Representative on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims Alexey Avtonomov, Personal Representative on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, also focusing on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians and Members of Other Religions
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U.S. Helsinki Commission Commemorates Romani Revolt at Auschwitz, Deportation of Hungarian Jews
Friday, May 16, 2014WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (MD), Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission) marked the 70th anniversary of the mass deportation of Hungary's Jews and the Romani revolt at Auschwitz death camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. "On May 16, 70 years ago, 6,000 Roma at Auschwitz used improvised weapons to resist efforts to transport them from their barracks to the gas chambers. Sadly, their desperate and heroic efforts only delayed their mass murder," said Chairman Cardin. "I am appalled," he continued, "when government officials, sometimes at the highest level, characterize Roma as criminals or 'unadaptable' using stereotypes that are reminiscent of Nazi racial theories. Remembering and teaching about Romani experiences during the Holocaust is critical in combating anti-Roma prejudices today." Approximately 3,000 of those who participated in the Romani revolt were sent to Buchenwald and Ravensbruck concentration camps as forced labor, where most of them died. On August 2-3, 1944, the so-called 'Gypsy Family Camp' was liquidated and the remaining 2,879 Romani men, women and children were sent to the gas chambers. Altogether, 23,000 Romani people from 11 countries were deported to Auschwitz and approximately 19,000 perished. Some died as a result of inhumane medical experiments by Dr. Joseph Mengele. "This year also marks the 70th anniversary of the start of the final wave of Hungary's war-time deportation of Jews," noted Chairman Cardin. "Plans to empty the Romani camp at Auschwitz were, in fact, intended to make room for Jews arriving from Hungary." Anti-Semitic legislation was introduced in Hungary with the 1920 Numerus Clausus, which established limits on the number of Jewish university students. In 1941, more than 17,000 Jews were deported from Hungary to German-occupied Kamenets-Podolsk, where they were executed. Between May 15 and July 9, 1944, 437,402 Hungarian Jews were deported in the largest deportation of Jews to Auschwitz in the shortest period of time from any country. One of every three Jews who died at Auschwitz was from Hungary. Cardin concluded, "I welcome the participation of Czech Prime Minister Sobotka in the memorial service held on May 10 at the site of the concentration camp for Roma at Lety. I urge the Czech Government to take steps to reflect the historic significance of this site for Romani survivors and their families everywhere." Lety was the site of one of two concentration camps for Roma in the war-time Czech Republic. The construction of a large pork processing plant on the site during the communist period has generated continuing criticism. The Helsinki Commission supported the transfer of microfilm copies of its archives – the only known complete surviving archives of a Romani concentration camp – to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2000. On September 18, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial will hold a public symposium on new research regarding Roma and the Holocaust.
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Cardin, Colleagues Ask Kerry To Urge NATO, OSCE To End All Defense Contracts With Russia
Tuesday, April 15, 2014WASHINGTON– In a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission and, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, – joined by 10 of his colleagues – asked the State Department to urge NATO member countries and participating states of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to end all defense contracts with Russia in response to the country's illegal annexation of Crimea and violation of Ukrainian sovereignty. Cardin was joined by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Daniel Coats (R-Ind.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), David Vitter (R-La.), and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) and U.S. Representatives Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.), Joe Pitts (R-Pa.), and Michael Burgess (R-Texas). "We believe the United States must show leadership by terminating all defense contracts with Russia and ask that you strongly encourage our NATO allies and OSCE participating states to take similar actions," the members of Congress wrote. "We urge you to lead the coordination among NATO and OSCE to halt trade involving military equipment with Russia immediately. We believe this is a crucial step in reestablishing a deterrent against further Russian aggression and strengthening the impact of our targeted economic sanctions against Russia." Text of the letter is below. April 14, 2014 The Honorable John Kerry Secretary of State United States Department of State 2201 C Street Northwest Washington, D.C. 20520 Dear Secretary Kerry: We write to express our support for NATO's decision to suspend military and civilian cooperation with Russia. We also ask that you further urge both NATO member countries and participating states of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to work cooperatively to cease all trade involving military equipment with Russia in response to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and violation of Ukrainian sovereignty. This would be a forceful next step by both international organizations (of which the United States is a member) to affirm that there is no more business as usual when it comes to bilateral trade of military equipment given Russia's hostile actions. As you are aware, two decades ago the Partnership for Peace program was implemented to foster trust between NATO member countries and the member states of the former Soviet Union, and to acknowledge a shared political commitment to creating lasting and inclusive peace in the Euro-Atlantic area. This integration with the member states of the former Soviet Union was predicated on shared values and common obligations to uphold international law. Likewise, the Helsinki Final Act, which has been signed by 57 OSCE nations, including the United States, affirmed our collective commitment to sovereign equality, respect for human rights, and fundamental freedoms. Russia violated these shared principles by disregarding its treaty obligations under the bilateral Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. We should immediately halt the trade in military equipment now that Russia has reneged on its commitment to abide by international law. Russia has clearly violated the principles of the Helsinki Final Act, and its actions are antithetical to the principles that NATO member countries like the United States seek to uphold. Nonetheless, significant bilateral trade in military equipment continues. The United Kingdom announced the Military Technical Cooperation Agreement with Russia in January 2014, which would provide a framework for Russian and UK defense companies to cooperate at an unclassified level and enable British and Russian arms producers to exchange defense components and technical data. France has continued an existing contract to sell two high-tech Mistral warships to Russia, and the Hungarian Ministry of Defense recently acquired three Mil Mi-8 transport helicopters produced by Rosoboronexport. Unfortunately and inexplicably, the United States is, at the time of writing, continuing with plans to receive 22 more Mi-17 helicopters from Russia as part of our ongoing assistance to Afghanistan. We believe the United States must show leadership by terminating all defense contracts with Russia and ask that you strongly encourage our NATO allies and OSCE participating states to take similar actions. We urge you to lead the coordination among NATO and OSCE to halt trade involving military equipment with Russia immediately. We believe this is a crucial step in reestablishing a deterrent against further Russian aggression and strengthening the impact of our targeted economic sanctions against Russia. We thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, BENJAMIN L. CARDIN United States Senate RICHARD BLUMENTHAL United States Senate JOHN CORNYN United States Senate ROGER F. WICKER United States Senate DANIEL COATS United States Senate CHRISTOPHER S. MURPHY United States Senate DAVID VITTER United States Senate KELLY AYOTTE United States Senate LOUISE M. SLAUGHTER Member of Congress JOE PITTS Member of Congress MICHAEL C. BURGESS Member of Congress
Human Rights in Hungary
Wednesday, December 11, 2013Madam President, earlier this year I chaired a Helsinki Commission hearing on the situation in Hungary. Today, I would like to revisit some of the issues addressed by our witnesses. Since the April 2010 elections, Hungary has undertaken the most dramatic legal transformation that Europe has seen in decades. A new Constitution was passed with votes of the ruling party alone, and even that has already been amended five times. More than 700 new laws have been passed, including laws on the media, religion, and civic associations. There is a new civil code and a new criminal code. There is an entirely new electoral framework. The magnitude and scope of these changes have understandably put Hungary under a microscope. At the Helsinki Commission's hearing in March, I examined concerns that these changes have undermined Hungary's system of democratic checks and balances, independence of the judiciary, and freedoms of the media and religion. I also received testimony about rising revisionism and extremism. I heard from Jozsef Szajer, a Member of the European Parliament who represented the Hungarian Government at the hearing. Princeton constitutional law expert Kim Lane Scheppelle, Dr. Paul Shapiro from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and Sylvana Habdank-Kolaczkowska from Freedom House presented compelling testimony. Unfortunately, developments in Hungary remain troubling. Even though Hungary's religion law was tweaked after the Constitutional Court struck down parts of it, it retains a discriminatory two-tier system. Moreover, the Parliament is empowered with the extraordinary and, for all practical purposes, unreviewable power to decide what is and what is not a religion. This month, the government announced it is launching an investigation into the Methodist Evangelical Church, a church persecuted during communist times. Today, the Methodist Evangelical Church is known for its outreach to Roma, work with the homeless and is one of the largest charitable organizations in Hungary. As I noted at the Helsinki Commission hearing in March, it is also one of the hundreds of religious groups stripped of official recognition after the passage of Hungary's new religion law. The church has now complied with submitting the necessary number of supporters required by the law and, as a reply, the government has announced an unidentified "expert'' will conduct an investigation into the church's beliefs and tenets. This step only reinforces fears that parliamentary denial of recognition as a so-called "Accepted Church'' opens the door for further repressive measures. Veneration of Hungary's wartime regent, Miklos Horthy, along with other anti-Semitic figures such as writer Jozsef Nyiro, continues. In November, a statue of Hungarian Jewish poet Miklos Radnoti, who was killed by Hungarian Nazis at the end of 1944, was rammed with a car and broken in half. At roughly the same time, extremists staged a book burning of his works along with other materials they called "Zionist publications.'' At the beginning of December, two menorahs were vandalized in Budapest. Reflecting the climate of extremism, more than 160 Hungarian nationals have been found by Canada this year to have a well-founded fear of persecution. Almost all are Romani, but the refugees include an 80-year-old award winning Hungarian Jewish writer who received death threats after writing about anti-Semitism in Hungary, and was stripped of his honorary citizenship of Budapest on an initiative from the far-right Jobbik party, supported by the votes of the ruling Fidesz party. While there are many who suggest the real problem comes from the extremist opposition party Jobbik, and not the ruling government, it seems that some members of Fidesz have contributed to a rise in intolerance. I am particularly troubled that the government-created Media Council, consisting entirely of Fidesz delegated members, has threatened ATV--an independent television station--with punitive fines if it again characterizes Jobbik as extremist. If you can't even talk about what is extremist or anti-Semitic in Hungary without facing legal sanctions, how can you combat extremism and anti-Semitism? Moreover, this decision serves to protect Jobbik from critical debate in the advance of next year's elections. Why? Other new measures further stifle free speech. Unfortunately, and somewhat shockingly, last month Hungary amended its defamation law to allow for the imposition of prison terms up to 3 years. The imposition of jail time for speech offenses was a hallmark of the communist era. During the post-communist transition, the Helsinki Commission consistently urged OSCE countries to repeal criminal defamation and insult laws entirely. In 2004, for example, the Helsinki Commission wrote to Minister of Justice Peter Barandy regarding the criminal convictions of Andras Bencsik and Laszlo Attila Bertok. This new law, raced through under an expedited procedure in the wake of a bi-election controversy in which allegations of voter manipulation were traded, was quickly criticized by the OSCE representative on Freedom of the Media. I share her concerns that these changes to the criminal code may lead to the silencing of critical or differing views in society and are inconsistent with OSCE commitments. Hungary was once held up as a model of peaceful democratic transition and is situated in a region of Europe where the beacon of freedom is still sought by many today. I hope Hungary will return to a leadership role in the protection of human rights and the promotion of democracy.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013This hearing focused on recent constitutional changes to the Hungarian Constitution which has brought concerns from the United States and the European Union. Recently, Hungary has instituted sweeping and controversial changes to its constitutional framework, effectively remaking the country's entire legal foundation. In addition to constitutional changes, there have been some bills passed without the proper democratic spirit and has brought concerns about the trajectory of democracy in that country. The witnesses raised the changes that have created the majority government into a nearly one-party rule structure and compared such actions to President Madison's written exposé in the Federalist Papers number 47.
Thursday, December 20, 2012Mr. President, as the Senate chair of the Helsinki Commission, I have a longstanding interest in Central Europe. For many years the Helsinki Commission was one of the loudest and clearest voices to speak on behalf of those oppressed by communism and to call for democracy, human rights, and freedom from Soviet oppression. It has been a great triumph and joy to see the peoples of this region free from dictatorship. Over the past two decades I have been profoundly heartened as newly freed countries of Central Europe have joined the United States and NATO and have become our partners in advocating for human rights and democracy around the globe. Leadership on those issues may be especially important now as some countries in the Middle East undertake transition, the outcome of which is far from certain. Even in Europe, in the western Balkans, there is a crying need for exemplary leadership, not backsliding. Americans know from our own history that maintaining democracy and promoting human rights are never jobs that are finished. As my friend and former colleague Tom Lantos said, "The veneer of civilization is paper thin. We are its guardians, and we can never rest.'' For some time I have been concerned about the trajectory of developments in Hungary, where the scope and nature of systemic changes introduced after April 2010 have been the focus of considerable international attention. At the end of November, Hungary was back in the headlines when Marton Gyongyosi, a member of the notorious extremist party Jobbik and also vice chairman of the Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, suggested that Hungarian Jews are a threat to Hungary's national security and those in government and Parliament should be registered. The ink was barely dry on letters protesting those comments when another Hungarian Member of Parliament, Balazs Lenhardt, participated in a public demonstration last week where he burned an Israeli flag. The fact is that these are only the latest extremist scandals to erupt in Budapest over the course of this year. In April, for example, just before Passover, a Jobbik MP gave a speech in Parliament weaving together subtle anti-Roma propaganda with overt anti-Semitism blood libel. After that, Jobbik was in the news when it was reported that one of its members in Parliament had requested and received certification from a DNA testing company that his or her blood was free of Jewish or Romani ancestry. At issue in the face of these anti-Semitic and racist phenomena is the sufficiency of the Hungarian Government's response and its role in ensuring respect for human rights and the rule of law. And the government's response has been, to say the least, wanting. First, it has been a hallmark of this government to focus on blood identity through the extension of Hungarian citizenship on a purely ethnic basis. The same Hungarian officials have played fast and loose with questions relating to its wartime responsibilities, prompting the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to issue a public statement of concern regarding the rehabilitation of fascist ideologues and political leaders from World War II. I am perhaps most alarmed by the government's failure to stand against the organized threats from Jobbik. For example, in late August a mob estimated at 1,000 people terrorized a Roma neighborhood in Devecser, taunting the Romani families to come out and face the crowd. There were reportedly three members of Parliament from the Jobbik party participating in that mob, and some people were filmed throwing bricks or stones at the Romani homes. The failure to investigate, let alone condemn such acts of intimidation, makes Prime Minister Orban's recent pledge to protect "his compatriots'' ring hollow. Of course, all this takes place in the context of fundamental questions about democracy itself in Hungary. What are we to make of democracy in Hungary when more than 360 religious organizations are stripped of their registration overnight and when all faiths must now depend on the politicized decision-making of the Parliament to receive the rights that come with registration? What are we to make of the fact that even after the European Commission and Hungary's own Constitutional Court have ruled against the mass dismissal of judges in Hungary's court-packing scheme, there is still no remedy for any of the dismissed judges? What is the status of media freedom in Hungary, let alone the fight against anti-Semitism, if a journalist who writes about anti-Semitism faces possible sanction before the courts for doing so? What are we to make of Hungary's new election framework, which includes many troubling provisions, including a prohibition on campaign ads on commercial radio and TV, onerous new voter registration provisions, and limits on local election committees, which oversee elections? I find it hard to imagine that Jews, Roma, and other minorities will be safe if freedom of the media and religion, the rule of law, the independence of the Judiciary, and the checks and balances essential for democracy are not also safeguarded. With that in mind, I will continue to follow the overall trends in Hungary and the implications for the region as a whole.
Mr. President, a year ago, I shared with my colleagues concerns I had about the trajectory of democracy in Hungary. Unfortunately, since then Hungary has moved ever farther away from a broad range of norms relating to democracy and the rule of law.
On June 6, David Kramer, the President of Freedom House who served as Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor for President George W. Bush, summed up the situation. Releasing Freedom House's latest edition of Nations in Transit Kramer said: "Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, under the pretext of so-called reforms, have been systematically breaking down critical checks and balances. They appear to be pursuing the `Putinization' of their countries.''
The report further elaborates, "Hungary's precipitous descent is the most glaring example among the newer European Union (EU) members. Its deterioration over the past five years has affected institutions that form the bedrock of democratically accountable systems, including independent courts and media. Hungary's negative trajectory predated the current government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, but his drive to concentrate power over the past two years has forcefully propelled the trend.''
Perhaps the most authoritative voice regarding this phenomenon is the Prime Minister himself. In a February 2010 speech, Viktor Orbán criticized a system of governance based on pluralism and called instead for: "a large centralized political field of power . . . designed for permanently governing.'' In June of last year, he defended his plan to cement economic policy in so-called cardinal laws, which require a two-thirds vote in parliament to change, by saying, "It is no secret that in this respect I am tying the hands of the next government, and not only the next one but the following ten.''
Checks and balances have been eroded and power has been concentrated in the hands of officials whose extended terms of office will allow them to long outlive this government and the next. These include the public prosecutor, head of the state audit office, head of the national judicial office, and head of the media board. Those who have expressed concerns about these developments have good reason to be alarmed.
I am particularly concerned about the independence of the judiciary which, it was reported this week, will be the subject of infringement proceedings launched by the European Commission, and Hungary's new media law. Although there have been some cosmetic tweaks to the media law, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media has argued that it remains highly problematic. Indeed, one expert has predicted that the most likely outcome of the new law will be to squeeze out reporting on corruption.
Hungary also adopted a new law on religion last year that had the stunning effect of stripping hundreds of religions of their legal recognition en masse. Of the 366 faiths which previously had legal status in Hungary, only 14 were initially granted recognition under the new law. Remarkably, the power to decide what is or is not a religion is vested entirely and exclusively in the hands of the legislature, making it a singularly politicized and arbitrary process. Of 84 churches that subsequently attempted to regain legal recognition, 66 were rejected without any explanation or legal rationale at all. The notion that the new framework should be acceptable because the faiths of most Hungarian citizens are recognized is poor comfort for the minority who find themselves the victims of this discriminatory process. This law also stands as a negative example for many countries around the world just now beginning tenuous movement towards democracy and human rights.
Finally, a year ago, I warned that "[i]f one side of the nationalism coin is an excessive fixation on Hungarian ethnic identity beyond the borders, the other side is intolerance toward minorities at home."I am especially concerned by an escalation of anti-Semitic acts which I believe have grown directly from the government's own role in seeking to revise Hungary's past.
Propaganda against the 1920 Treaty of Trianon, which defines the current borders of Hungary, has manifested itself in several ways. Most concretely, the Hungarian government extended citizenship on the basis of ethnic or blood identity--something the government of Viktor Orbán promised the Council of Europe in 2001 that it would not do and which failed to win popular support in a 2004 referendum. Second, the government extended voting rights to these new ethnic citizens in countries including Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine. This has combined with a rhetorical and symbolic fixation on "lost" Hungarian territories--apparently the rationale for displaying an 1848 map of Greater Hungary during Hungary's EU presidency last year. In this way, the government is effectively advancing central elements of the agenda of the extremist, anti-Semitic, anti-Roma Jobbik party. Moreover, implicitly--but unmistakably--it is sending the message that Hungary is no longer a civic state where political rights such as voting derive from citizenship, but where citizenship derives from one's ethnic status or blood identity.
The most recent manifestation of this revisionism includes efforts to rehabilitate convicted war criminal Albert Wass and the bizarre spectacle of the Hungarian government's role in a ceremony in neighboring Romania--over the objections of that country--honoring fascist writer and ideologue Joszef Nyiro. That event effectively saw the Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament, Laszlo Kover; the Hungarian State Secretary for Culture, Geza Szocs; and Gabor Vona, the leader of Hungary's most notoriously extremist party, Jobbik, united in honoring Nyrio. Several municipalities have now seen fit to erect statues honoring Miklos Horthy, Hungary's wartime leader, and the writings of Wass and Nyiro have been elevated onto the national curriculum.
It is not surprising that this climate of intolerance and revisionism has gone hand-in-hand with an outbreak of intolerance, such as the anti-Semitic verbal assaults on a 90-year old Rabbi and on a journalist, an attack on a synagogue menorah in Nagykanizsa, the vandalism of a Jewish memorial in Budapest and monuments honoring Raoul Wallenberg, the Blood Libel screed by a Jobbik MP just before Passover, and the recent revelation that a Jobbik MP requested--and received--a certificate from a genetic diagnostic company attesting that the MP did not have Jewish or Romani ancestry.
We are frequently told that Fidesz is the party best positioned in Hungary to guard against the extremism of Jobbik. At the moment, there seems to be little evidence to support that claim. The campaign to rehabilitate fascist ideologues and leaders from World War II is dangerous and must stop. Ultimately, democracy and the rights of minorities will stand or fall together.
Hungary is not just on the wrong track, it is heading down a dangerous road. The rehabilitation of disgraced World War II figures and the exaltation of blood and nation reek of a different era, which the community of democracies--especially Europe--had hoped was gone for good. Today's Hungary demonstrates that the battle against the worst human instincts is never fully won but must be fought in every generation.


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Mark Hambourg was born in Boguchar on May 31, 1879. He commenced performing in 1888, in Moscow, and soon began performing throughout the major cities of Europe. His principal piano studies were in Vienna with Theodor Leschetizky. Eventually Hambourg settled in London, England and, along with occasional orchestral engagements, he primarily focused on recital-giving. Between about 1909 and 1933, Hambourg recorded copiously for the Gramophone Company (HMV). Reissues of some of Hambourg's recordings have appeared on compact discs from Pearl and from Arbiter. Hambourg died in Cambridge, England on August 26, 1960.
IPAM endeavors to respond to all inquiries concerning its collections and — whenever possible — to general reference questions about pianists, piano music, and piano recordings. (We cannot and do not provide information about pianos or the piano industry.) IPAM is open to visitors by appointment between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (Eastern Time), Mondays through Fridays, with rare exceptions.
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subset: commoncrawl


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After his father's top-hat manufacturing company goes bankrupt, the young industrialist in this movie moves into the family's old, abandoned mansion and lives off of his wits and whatever little savings remain. A number of other disaffected and fugitive friends live with him. Extremely averse to work and even more averse to ambition, the young man's existence is described accurately in the film's subtitle: "The Merry Confessions of a Layabout." ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
All Chapeau Claque cast + crew photos


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Evaluation of Lenalidomide (REVLIMID®) to Treat Subjects With Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CLE)
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Condition | Intervention |
Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CLE) |
Drug: lenalidomide (Revlimid®) |
Study Type: | Interventional |
Study Design: | Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment Masking: Open Label Primary Purpose: Treatment |
Official Title: | Evaluation of Lenalidomide (REVLIMID®) in Cutaneous LE: A Prospective, Non Controlled, Open Label Pilot Study to Evaluate the Off-Label Use of the FDA-approved Drug Lenalidomide (REVLIMID®) in Patients With Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus |
- Evaluate the biologic activity and effects of lenalidomide (REVLIMID®) for treatment of CLE through the following: -PBMC samples analyzed by flow cytometry -Skin specimens analyzed by staining for cell types -Clinical improvement assessments [ Time Frame: Weeks 0 through 52 ]
- Evaluate quality of life measurements using subject and physician assessment tools. [ Time Frame: Weeks 0 through 52 ]
Estimated Enrollment: | 6 |
Study Start Date: | November 2007 |
Study Completion Date: | October 2009 |
Primary Completion Date: | July 2009 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure) |
Drug: lenalidomide (Revlimid®)
Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is a chronic and often disabling disease which affects the skin. Many patients experience scarring and inflammation of the skin, which often occur on the face. Moderate to severe CLE is most frequently treated with antimalarial drugs such as hydroxychloroquine, quinacrine or chloroquine. Up to 70% of CLE patients treated with antimalarials experience a beneficial clinical response, while the remainder of patients show no response or continue to experience progression of the disease. Thalidomide has been used successfully in such patients, with up to 75% clinical response rate in refractory CLE patients. However, thalidomide is a known teratogen and can cause severe birth defects, including short, malformed limbs and damage to peripheral nerves in the extremities, requiring patients to be monitored for pregnancy. In addition, up to 25% of patients on thalidomide develop peripheral neuropathy. A new drug, lenalidomide (REVLIMID®), an analogue of thalidomide, has been developed to treat neoplastic and inflammatory conditions, including various oncologic conditions such as multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndrome and solid tumors. Unlike thalidomide, lenalidomide (REVLIMID®) is not known to cause the extent of serious side effects caused by thalidomide; however, it must also be monitored for side effects and be distributed under the RevAssist program authorized by the drug manufacturer, Celgene Corporation.
The primary goal of this investigator-initiated, small pilot study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of lenalidomide (REVLIMID®) in CLE subjects using measurements such as the CLASI (Cutaneous Lupus Activity and Severity Index). The study drug will be used in an off-label indication to treat 6 subjects, for whom lenalidomide (REVLIMID®) will be provided at no cost by the drug manufacturer. Men and women over the age of 18, who have a biopsy proven diagnosis of refractory CLE and who have failed standard treatment with hydroxychloroquine for up to three months, will be included in the study. Secondarily, the study will evaluate the biologic effects of lenalidomide on pathogenic and immunologic mechanisms of the CLE disease process during the treatment period by collecting skin specimens (biopsies) and blood samples.
Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Senior) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Subjects must understand and voluntarily sign Informed Consent and HIPAA forms.
- Males and females over the age of 18 at the time of signing informed consent form.
- Able to adhere to the study visit schedule and other protocol requirements
- Subjects must have biopsy proven Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CLE) either in the form of Discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE) or Subacute Lupus Erythematosus (SCLE), with or without systemic involvement.
- Subjects must have grade II erythema in at least three skin locations as defined by the Cutaneous Lupus Activity and Severity Index (CLASI).
- Subjects must have failed standard treatment with hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) for up to three months.
- Female subjects who are not pregnant.
- Females of childbearing potential (FCBP) must have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test with a sensitivity of at least 50 mIU/mL within 10 - 14 days prior to and again within 24 hours of starting lenalidomide and must either commit to continued abstinence from heterosexual intercourse or begin TWO acceptable methods of birth control, one highly effective method and one additional method AT THE SAME TIME, at least 28 days before starting to take lenalidomide (Revlimid®). FCBP must also agree to ongoing pregnancy testing. Males must agree to use a latex condom during sexual contact with a FCBP even if they have had a successful vasectomy. All subjects must be counseled at a minimum of every 28 days about pregnancy precautions and risks of fetal exposure.
- If pregnancy or a positive pregnancy test is noted in a study subject or in the partner of a male study subject during study participation, the study drug must be discontinued immediately.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Any serious medical condition, laboratory abnormality or psychiatric illness that would prevent the subject from signing the informed consent form.
- Female subjects who are pregnant, plan to be pregnant during the study, or who are breastfeeding.
- Any condition, including the presence of laboratory abnormalities, which places the subject at unacceptable risk for study participation, or confounds the ability to interpret data from the study.
- Use of any other experimental drug or therapy within 28 days of baseline.
- Known hypersensitivity to thalidomide.
- The development of erythema nodosum if characterized by a desquamating rash while taking thalidomide or similar drugs.
- Prior history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
- Prior history of pulmonary embolus (PE).
- Known positive for HIV viral DNA by qPCR.
- Positive hepatitis B surface antigen, or hepatitis C.
- Platelet count < 50,000/mcL.
- Absolute neutrophil count < 750/mcL
- Lymphopenia < 500/mcL.
- Have current signs or symptoms of severe progressive or uncontrolled renal disease (creatinine ≥1.5 x ULN).
- If female, unwillingness to use one highly effective method and one additional method of birth control.
- If male, unwillingness to use a latex condom during intercourse with females of childbearing potential.
- Continued therapy with thalidomide.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00633945
United States, Pennsylvania | |
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Department of Dermatology | |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104 |
Principal Investigator: | Victoria P Werth, MD | University of Pennsylvania, Department of Dermatology |
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
Responsible Party: | Victoria Werth, MD, University of Pennsylvania |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT00633945 History of Changes |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
806259 |
Study First Received: | March 4, 2008 |
Last Updated: | February 18, 2011 |
Keywords provided by University of Pennsylvania:
Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus CLE lenalidomide revlimid |
thalidomide derivative drug lupus |
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Cutaneous Connective Tissue Diseases Autoimmune Diseases Immune System Diseases Skin Diseases Lenalidomide Thalidomide Immunologic Factors Physiological Effects of Drugs |
Angiogenesis Inhibitors Angiogenesis Modulating Agents Growth Substances Growth Inhibitors Antineoplastic Agents Immunosuppressive Agents Leprostatic Agents Anti-Bacterial Agents Anti-Infective Agents |
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on March 29, 2017


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Donaji & the Magical Poncho
This is the story of a fearless girl and her encounter with the wicked cold wind god
4.31 / 5.00 4,474 ViewsAfter seeing the third Matrix movie it really disappointed me. The acting was horrible all around. They really showed Neo as being Savior too much (Dying for everyone else, showing cross on chest while light was being shown within him). I know the Oracle died before filming, but could they not come up with a better explanation? The list goes on.
Edit: Thanks Damien-DCLXVI for the title. To let all of you critics know...I am WELL AWARE of the fact that the Oracle died, I just don't think they explained it well. Second, in case you are didn't realize, this video was SUPPOSED to be retarded. It was supposed to be stupid, because Matrix: Revolutions was stupid and if you think that I can't understand it, then why didn't you understand that this was supposed to be stupid? I hope you all have "intellect"? and are "open-minded"? The only thing I really worked on was the animation =) If you guys didn't understand the two main points in the flash here it is. For the reason for the Parappa reference is that they said believe way too many times. Also the point between Scudworth and Mr. B was to show the human and machine relationship and how stupid it was.
First of all, the only reason they replaced the Oracle is because the other lady died. You obviously didn't know that. Second, you probably didn't even pay attention to the story line or anything else, you just wanted to see the Matrix and kung fu scenes. To actually understand the movie you have to pay attention to what they're saying and not just wait for all the fight scenes to come up. I thought that movie was beautiful with a pretty good story which practically ended the triology in a good way. Pay attention more, then maybe you won't be making movies that suck this bad.
Revolutions, in fact, sucked
You speak for the rest of us. It's good to see a flash-based answer to a very crappy movie. It's good to know I'm not alone on this opinion
I have to disagree.
I really do. 'The Matrix Revolutions' is only a terrible movie for those who don't understand the plot and its significance, and only wanted to see more crazy "bullet-time" action or whatnot.
The entire thing made sense to me, because I understand what the movie is supposed to be about. The acting wasn't as good as the first, and there were a few odd things about the film, just as there are in any movie, but you deal with it and just try to understand what it's about anyway.
The first film will always be the best out of the trilogy, primarily because it was new and fresh, something that the movie industry needed. Over time, it has sort of turned into a cliche unto itself, but that is far from a decent reason to call the movie "gay" or only show others what you consider to be the bad end of the film.
Like I said, I thought it was an excellent and exciting conclusion to the trilogy, and I'm not bashing your opinion, but have just a -little- respect for the filmmakers who put years of work into making this happen.
what's worse?
I agree that Matrix revolutions sucked. Was it your intention to make your cartoon make just as little sense? However, I applaud you attempt at mockery.
Ya same thoughts here
I too was VASTLY disapointed by matrix revolutions... more like GAYtrix revoPOOPtions(that was supposed to be aweful BTW)
how much work do you think went into wuss-afying neo between 1 and 2 and then again in 3.
plus did anyone actually like that final fight? other than DBZ freaks who wanna bone goku i mean... also clone high does rule
Lol, I have remember that. GAYtrix revoPOOPtions. If I had heard of this before I would have submitted it with that title.


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MUMBAI, April 10, 2010 – Ogilvy & Mather India swept the Creative ABBY Awards once again this year – for the 13th time in 14 years since the ABBY Awards were instituted. Ogilvy India was the most awarded agency in India at the Goafest.
Abhijit Avasthi, National Creative Director, Ogilvy India said, "Our showing at the Creative Abby Awards at the Goafest was phenomenal. Our metal tally was nearly double that of the 2nd most awarded agency. What's truly special is that our wins came on the back of big brand work which benefited our clients, and work that our friends and family loved. It was not made-up stuff for some random two-bit roadside shop which only 3 people had seen."
Ogilvy won 3 Gold, 30 Bronze, 9 Silver and 1 Grand Prix, with the 3 Gold awarded for the following:* Vodafone Trial Room/Vodafone Scream/Vodafone Bench – Category Print Single/Telecom Products & Services* Vodafone Zoozoos – Category Integrated Advertising/Telecom Products & Services* The Economist – Baby – Category Direct/Direct Response – Print
The Grand Prix was awarded to Vodafone Zoozoos in the Integrated Advertising/Telecom Products & Services category.
Other creative work to receive awards was for clients: The Economist, Vodafone, Perfetti Sour Marbles, Bajaj Pulsar, Bournville, American Express, Centrefresh, Fevicol & Fevikwik, Eno, Pond's Age Miracle, Mattel, Cadbury Dairy Milk, India Post, Lipton Yellow Label, HT-Mint, DHL, IBM and ITC Maratha.
For more information,please contact: Lorraine Martin at email@example.com or +91 22 44344074
Contact: Lorraine Martin Date: April 10, 2010 Office: Mumbai


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I have baked and cooked since I was very young.
I made castle cakes long before they even started appearing in the cake world. I loved building and plastering and used to watch my Dad's builders as a child and making cake castles was a way to do that myself ha ha.
I love to be challenged, I educate myself all of the time and I never stop learning. I am highly accomplished in many many areas. I always strive to do everything to the my very best of my ability no matter what it is.
My favourite medium is Chocolate. It is the most versatile and challenging. I love making things out of chocolate. I love making things out of anything really but chocolate is so challenging and I cannot resist a challenge.
I hope you like my work and thank you for looking.


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Man charged over Bognor Regis throat-slashing
- 27 February 2013
- From the section Sussex
A man accused of slashing another man across the throat with a knife has been charged with attempted murder.
Police were called to an address in Collyer Avenue in Bognor Regis, West Sussex, on 17 February.
A 35-year-old man was taken to hospital in Chichester and was later discharged.
A 24-year-old, from Bognor, is due to appear at Chichester Magistrates' Court later. His mother is due to appear at the same court on 20 March charged with assisting an offender.


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For All Cancers
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- A Helping Hand: The Resource Guide for People With Cancer, Financial Edition( 1.01 MB)
- Coping With Cancer: Tools to Help You Live
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text: The iPhone Now Officially Runs DoomChris Jacob10/31/09 6:00pmFiled to: app storeAppleappsappIdJohn CarmackDoomGamesiPhoneipod touch75EditPromoteShare to KinjaToggle Conversation toolsGo to permalink id's classic shooter has finally been (officially) ported to the iPhone. And thanks to oversight from John Carmack himself, there are a number of improvements that make it worth a purchase even for Jailbreakers. Advertisement In a blog post from May, Carmack says he loves that players port Doom to every device imaginable, but he's disappointed that there's rarely any real effort to build a new, functional control scheme on platforms without a keyboard and mouse. In other words, he'd rather that instead of everyone stopping at "Does it run Doom?" they ask "Does it play Doom?"That's why he personally developed the controls for the iPhone version, and according to early reviews, the iPhone can now play Doom. Users are saying controls as good as you would expect from Carmack. Not to mention the other enhancements like 24-bit lighting. Advertisement Sure, you might have put the game on your jailbroken iPhone years ago, but graphical upgrades and tighter controls might make it worth the $6.99 admission price. [Recombu]Reply75 repliesLeave a reply


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Development Economics (247 videos)
This heroic story starts with Norman Borlaug, and it spreads to Pakistan and India. Millions of people end up being fed and science is to be thanked.
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Just a comment. An old friend of mine who at one time was president of the Canadian Seed Growers Association pointed out that the improvement in productivity of farms in the late 40's and early 50's was partly attributable to the fact that mechanization liberated fields which had previously been preserved for feeding horses.


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Dear Santa,
How are all the elves doing? It must be hard on them since it's this time of year. Can you take a little breck and read my letter?
First, I won't a Nintendo DS because I only have baby games, and beside it broke the other night, and its boring. So now I have no videyo games to play. Now, I don't know what to do with the remolt cantrol.
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Pure Chicago blues, a touch of rock'n'roll, a shot of R&B and 100% guaranteed to groove! Considered one of the finest blues guitarists by the Globe and Mail, this young Canadian crooner has released 7 acclaimed albums, rocked prestigious tours and collaborations with major bluesmen including Kim Wilson and Colin James. Get ready to fall in love with Mr. Jones!
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NetQin Mobile Inc (NYSE:NQ) delivered a profit and met Wall Street's expectations, AND beat the revenue expectation. The revenue beat is a positive sign to shareholders seeking high growth out of the company. Shares are down 0%.
NetQin Mobile Inc Earnings Cheat Sheet
Results: Adjusted Earnings Per Share increased 46.15% to $0.19 in the quarter versus EPS of $0.13 in the year-earlier quarter.
Revenue: Rose 108.01% to $33.24 million from the year-earlier quarter.
Actual vs. Wall St. Expectations: NetQin Mobile Inc reported adjusted EPS income of $0.19 per share. By that measure, the company missed the mean analyst estimate of $0.19. It beat the average revenue estimate of $32.98 million.
Quoting Management: "I am pleased to report that we started 2013 with a solid first quarter. We again achieved record revenue and began to realize the significant growth potential and synergy from the acquisition of NationSky and Feiliu," commented Dr. Henry Lin, Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer of NQ Mobile. "NationSky achieved an outstanding quarter and improved its margin significantly by growing its software and services business. Feiliu also launched two self-developed mobile games, Dragon's Summon and Wulin MengZhu, which have become a great success on the iOS platform in China. In 2013, we will continue our evolution to become a leading mobile Internet platform company by focusing on broadening our service offerings, diversifying our revenue streams and creating synergies among different lines of our businesses, particularly in the China market."
"In the first quarter, our consumer mobile security business in the international markets continued its strong growth and accounted for approximately 56% of the total consumer mobile security revenues. Furthermore, our investment in the international markets has started to pay off as we have begun to see upward trends in operating margins," added Omar Khan, Co-Chief Executive Officer of NQ Mobile. "As we continue our strong momentum of international growth through the continued expansion of our retail presence and initiating operations of key carrier partnerships in North and Latin America, we are confident that our international business will further drive and sustain our long term growth."
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New York, New York Crime Statistics
There were 14,098 burglaries (271.1 per week) committed in New York, New York during 2015.Crime Statistics for New York, New York for the year 2015 : | ||||||||||
Population | Violent Crime | Murder | Rape | Robbery | Aggravated Assault | Property Crime | Burglary | Larceny Theft | MV Theft | Arson |
8,550,861 | 50,088 | 352 | 2,244 | 16,946 | 30,546 | 129,860 | 14,098 | 108,376 | 7,386 | 0 |
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Little Kids Rock's "Right To Rock Benefit," Cipriani Wall Street, New York City Greg Allen / Invision / AP
October 17, 2013 |
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Waldorf Astoria, New York City AP Photo
March 14, 2011 |
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