Hilary Swank, Van Damme slammed for attending Chechen president party

Hilary Swank and Jean-Claude Van Damme have been criticised by human rights groups for attending Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov's birthday party.

The stars and violinist Vanessa-Mae were among the celebrity guests at Kadyrov's birthday celebration in Grozny last week.

Kadyrov has been accused by international aid organisations of committing atrocities since coming to power in 2007.

Human Rights Foundation president Thor Halvorssen called on Swank to donate her fee from the event, saying: "Hilary Swank obviously has the right to earn a living entertaining the highest bidder, but this sort of venality should be exposed.

"Would she have accepted an invitation to entertain [ex-Chilean leader Augusto] Pinochet? Al-Qaeda? The apartheid government in Pretoria?

"We must remember the disgrace of Mariah Carey, Nelly Furtado, Beyoncé and 50 Cent [who] were exposed… singing for Gaddafi's family and earning millions of dollars for it."

Another group, Human Rights Watch, slammed Swank and Van Damme for socialising with Kadyrov while the Chechen people suffer.

Human Rights Watch said in a statement: "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 legitimises a brutal leader and his regime.

"Getting paid to be part of such a lavish show in Chechnya trivialises the suffering of countless victims of human rights abuses there."

Shakira was forced to deny claims that she would perform at the Chechen leader's birthday gala late last month.

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Watch clips of Hilary Swank and Jean-Claude Van Damme at Ramzan Kadyrov's birthday party below: