Hilary Swank is experiencing a lot of regret over her partying ways, but it has nothing to do with over-imbibing.
The "Million Dollar Baby" star has issued an apology for attending the Oct. 5 birthday party of Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov, who's been accused of human-rights abuses including abductions, torture and executions.
Also read: Human Rights Group to Hilary Swank: Donate Your Chechen Birthday Party Money!
A statement obtained by TheWrap from Swank's spokesperson claims that she attended the soiree, held concurrently with the opening of a new residential and commercial complex in Chechny's capital of Grozny City, because she'd heard that the construction project had been a boon for the war-ravaged nation.
"Specifically, she was advised that the project was instrumental in the creation of jobs and other opportunities for the people of Chechnya," the statement reads. "Ms. Swank very much wanted to attend to be a proponent of those things and, most importantly, she wanted be an advocate for peace in Chechnya."
The statement goes on to say that, when she arrived at the event, she was asked to wish Kadyrov a happy birthday, which she did — and now she's gone into apology mode.
“I deeply regret attending this event, which has thrown into question my long and deeply-held commitment to the protection of human rights," Swank said in the statement. "I would never intentionally do anything that raised doubts about such commitment. I will continue to donate my time and my financial resources not only to the charities with which I am currently affiliated, but also those dedicated to the preservation of human rights.”
According to the statement, Swank was unaware of Kadyrov's alleged human-rights violations prior to the event. However, the Human Rights Foundation would beg to differ. Last week, the organization blasted Swank for attending the event, claiming that they had sent a letter to the actress prior to the event noting Kadyrov's alleged abuses. The organization said it was subsequently told by Swank's manager that she "has no current plans to attend the party you mentioned."
“Hilary Swank obviously has the right to earn a living entertaining the highest bidder, but this sort of venality should be exposed—especially after claiming she was not going,” Human Rights Foundation president Thor Halvorssen said in response to her attendance. “Would she have accepted an invitation to entertain Pinochet? Al-Qaeda? The apartheid government in Pretoria?"
Other celebrities in attendance at Kadyrov's birthday party include action star Jean-Claude Van Damme, who told the president, "“I love you, Mr. Kadyrov," according to the Foundation. A representative for Van Damme had no comment for TheWrap when contacted about the matter last week.