The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

HUMAN Rights Bahamas yesterday insisted it did not sponsor a “sham” video that “maliciously and heartlessly exploits” the victims of embattled Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard’s alleged sex trafficking ring.

The video, which purports to have been sponsored by the human rights advocacy group, was yesterday reported to the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s Cyber Crimes Unit.

Additionally, HRB said a full report on this incident will be submitted to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

In a press statement yesterday, HRB accused political “operatives” of producing the video in the hopes of exploiting victims to try and score crass political points.

The video, seen by The Tribune, accuses a woman, whose testimony against Nygard is contained in official court documents, of perpetrating crimes against other victims.

Her name and image are shown in the video.

HRB said seeking to hijack and impersonate human rights organisations, whose mission is to uphold and defend the fundamental rights and freedoms of all individuals in the Bahamas, is the tactic better suited to banana republics and failed states.

“The bogus video. . .seeks to shamelessly and heartlessly exploit the victims of Peter Nygard’s alleged sex trafficking ring to try and score crass political points,” HRB said.

“It pretends to acknowledge the incredible sacrifice of these heroic young women, who found the courage to stand up and speak truth to power when no one else would. In reality, it is nothing more than a cheap political stunt that trivialises and takes advantage of the unspeakable trauma and suffering these victims have endured.

“The victims, and the victims alone, deserve the credit for their remarkable bravery in coming forward.

“Such cynical and quite frankly disgusting tactics, pursued at the expense of survivors of (alleged) horrific sexual crimes, mark a new low in the political discourse of this country. Those responsible should be utterly ashamed and deserve to be universally condemned by all right-thinking people.”

It continued: “For the record, Human Rights Bahamas had nothing to do with this fraudulent video. We could not disagree more with its barbaric message, and we strongly condemn the reprehensible individuals responsible for perpetrating this fraud.

“Our organisation fully supports and applauds the bravery of all the victims of Peter Nygard’s alleged crimes, including those courageous whistleblowers that this vile video seeks to scapegoat and victimise for political ends.”

HRB said it intends to pursue this matter to the fullest extent of the law and is committed to exposing the “shameless” individuals responsible for what it called a “travesty”.

“We also intend to offer a reward for information concerning the individuals who created and distributed this vile material.”

The Royal Bahamas Police Force did not respond to inquiries on the complaint up to press time.