Hilary Swank Criticized for Attending Birthday of Chechen Leader Accused of Human Rights Violations

Over the summer it was revealed that Beyonce, 50 Cent, Mariah Carey and Nelly Furtado had performed for family members of former Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi for sums upward of $1 million. Now, another set of Hollywood stars are in hot water for taking money from a questionable foreign ruler: two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank and action star Jean-Claude Van Damme attended Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov's birthday celebration last week in exchange for potential six-figure paydays. Said Human Rights Foundation in a statement to THR: "Ramzan Kadyrov is linked to a litany of horrific human rights abuses. It's inappropriate for stars to get paid to party with him. It bolsters his image and legitimizes a brutal leader and his regime. And getting paid to be part of such a lavish show in Chechnya trivializes the suffering of countless victims of human rights abuses there." The organization states that Swank was warned about Kadyrov's questionable past, but attended anyway. "Really, truly, for me this is a great honor to learn more about you and your country and what you're building," she told the crowd at the birthday party on Oct. 5. "And, um, happy birthday, Mr. President." Van Damme, meanwhile, said he "loved" Kadyrov. Stars Kevin Costner and Eva Mendes were also asked to attend, but both declined due to scheduling conflicts. [via THR, NYT/The Lede] [Photo: AP] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED