• Press Release

Trump Administration Commission on Unalienable Rights Politicizes Human Rights for Hate

July 8, 2019

Secretary Of State Mike Pompeo Addresses The Media
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 15: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo answers questions at the U.S. State Department March 15, 2019 in Washington, DC. During his remarks Pompeo said sanctions will be imposed by the United States on any individuals involved in International Criminal Court proceedings against American army personnel. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Reacting to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s announcement today of a creation of a Commission on Unalienable Rights, Joanne Lin, national director of advocacy and government affairs at Amnesty International USA said:

“This administration has actively worked to deny and take away long-standing human rights protections since Trump’s inauguration. If this administration truly wanted to support people’s rights, it would use the global framework that’s already in place. Instead, it wants to undermine rights for individuals, as well as the responsibilities of governments.

“This approach only encourages other countries to adopt a disregard for basic human rights standards and risks weakening international, as well as regional frameworks, placing the rights of millions of people around the world in jeopardy.

“International agreements, like the Universal Declaration for Human Rights, have been upheld by prior administrations over the last 71 years, regardless of their party. This politicization of human rights in order to, what appears to be an attempt to further hateful policies aimed at women and LGBTQ people, is shameful.”