By Alexis Tereszcuk
Senior Radar Reporter
Hilary Swank was paid a whopping $1.5 million to attend an event honoring the brutal leader of Chechnya, RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned!
After receiving flak for her appearance, the two-time Academy Award winning actress apologized for attending the event with Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen leader who is accused of murder, torture and abductions by human rights groups.
The 37-year-old actress attended the opening of a residential and commercial complex in Grozny City on October 5, and according to her rep she decided to attend the opening “because the construction project was described to her as a symbol of hope for the people of Chechnya, a region that had been devastated by war. Specifically, she was advised that the project was instrumental in the creation of jobs and other opportunities for the people of Chechnya.”
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“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 a statement to RadarOnline.com. “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.”
Once Swank arrived at the event she was asked to wish Kadyrov a happy birthday and “not wanting to be rude, she obliged.”
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She says that she was unaware of the allegations made by human rights groups about the Chechen president’s alleged atrocities, and no mention was made of the $1.5 million payment from the organization.
The Human Rights Foundation said they sent Swank a letter in September detailing Kadyrov’s past crimes trying to dissuade her from attending the event, but never received a response.
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