Hillary Swank 'deeply regrets' performing on Ramzan Kadyrov’s birthday bash

Hillary Swank has expressed regrets over  being a part of Ramzan Kadyrov’s birthday party in Chechen capital Grozny, and professed she was unaware of the Chechnyan Kremlin-backed strongman’s appalling past human rights record.

The Oscar winning actress has been strongly condemned by rights groups for being a part of the birthday celebrations of a man, who has been indicted for abductions, torture, executions and house burning.

In response to the criticism, Swank said that she would have never agreed to attend the event, had she known about the allegations against her host.

 “If I had a full understanding of what this event was apparently intended to be, I would never have gone,” the Telegraph quoted her as telling an American news agency.

“I deeply regret attending this event,” she added.

Swank was accompanied by Belgian martial arts actor Jean-Claude Van Damme, British violinist Vanessa Mae, and British singer Seal for the occasion.

According to an official from Chechnya’s culture ministry, all the four stars were paid to attend the celebrations and the local media has reported that Vanessa Mae was paid a fee equivalent to about 320,000 pounds for her own performance.

New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) has since urged the stars to return any cash or gifts they may have received, as their accepting them “trivialises the suffering of countless victims.”

However, Swank has remained mum on whether she has returned her fee or donated it to charity or a human rights group.