Specialist on Belarus to head Freedom House

• 1.09.2010, 10:21

David J. Kramer, a former US deputy assistant secretary of state, is to head Freedom House, an international human rights group.

Freedom House announced August 31 that Kramer was chosen to serve as the organization's new executive director. The new head is to start his work on October 4, Lenta.ru informs.

David J. Kramer was United States Assistant Secretary of State in the time when Condoleezza Rice was Secretary of State. He was responsible for human rights and democracy development. Being the assistant secretary of state for three years, he focused on relations with Russia, Moldova, Belarus, and Ukraine. Before his work for the Department of State, Kramer was associate director of the Russian and Eurasian Program at the Carnegie Endowment. Having retired from the Department of State, Kramer worked for the German Marshall Fund.

Freedom House is a US-based human rights NGO founded in 1941. Freedom House issues annual reports on human rights and human liberties in the world and in separate regions and countries. The situation in Belarus faces constant criticism by human rights activists.