A press release from Congressman Randy Hultgren:

Human Rights Legislation Punishes Corrupt Officials and Rights Violators

Hultgren-Sponsored Bill Restricts U.S. Travel and Financial Access

Washington, DC – In his continuing effort to stand up for human rights both at home and abroad, U.S. Representative Randy Hultgren (IL-14) has cosponsored the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (H.R.624), a bipartisan, bicameral bill that will deny any corrupt officials and human rights violators from entering the United States or from using any U.S. financial institutions.

The bill is named after Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who died in jail after exposing widespread financial fraud by Russian officials.

Randy Hultgren

“If we are to stop human rights violators from continuing their attack on human dignity and freedom, we must punish perpetrators.

“No human rights violator should be rewarded with travel to our shores or access to our financial institutions,” said Rep. Hultgren.

“This legislation will honor the memory of Sergei Magnitsky and victims everywhere by demonstrating to the world that the United States will not tolerate nor reward human rights abusers. I urge quick passage of this bill.”

Congressman Hultgren has raised awareness of victims of human rights violation who are persecuted for exercising their political, religious, and educational beliefs.

Through the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (TLHRC), Rep. Hultgren has “adopted” Zhu Yufu, a Chinese prisoner of conscience, and testified on his behalf and in support of his release.

Rep. Hultgren has also made defending victims of human trafficking a top priority while in office, including introducing legislation pushing nations to clamp down on the demand for commercial sex within their borders, a major factor contributing to the prevalence of sex slavery.

The Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act will hold international human rights violators accountable by:

• Authorizing the President to identify any foreign nationals responsible for significant corruption, extrajudicial killings, torture, or other gross violations of human rights committed against individuals seeking to promote human rights.
• Prohibiting or revoking U.S. entry visas or other entry documentation for foreign nationals.
• Prohibiting foreign nationals from using the U.S. financial system and freezing any property transactions of those individuals.