Human Rights Center
@hrcberkeley.bsky.social
Investigating war crimes, pursuing justice, and preparing tomorrow's advocates.
https://humanrights.berkeley.edu/
https://humanrights.berkeley.edu/
Americans are witnessing a "far more dangerous use" of crowd control weapons in recent months, HRC Advisory Board Member @rohinihaar.bsky.social told @frontlinepbs.bsky.social, despite calls for use policy changes in 2020. "You’re going to see a lot more injuries."
www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontli...
www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontli...
Trump’s Immigration Forces Deploy “Less Lethal” Weapons in Dangerous Ways | FRONTLINE | PBS | Official Site | Documentary Series
Civil rights and weapons experts cite the consequences of federal agents’ use of crowd control weapons: religious leaders shot with pepper balls and noxious chemicals. A nurse nearly blinded by tear g...
www.pbs.org
November 26, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Americans are witnessing a "far more dangerous use" of crowd control weapons in recent months, HRC Advisory Board Member @rohinihaar.bsky.social told @frontlinepbs.bsky.social, despite calls for use policy changes in 2020. "You’re going to see a lot more injuries."
www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontli...
www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontli...
"A structural approach to OSI collaborations may enhance rigorous, credible and meaningful investigations that leverage the richness of multidisciplinary input, rather than being hampered by it." Read more in @opiniojuris.bsky.social / @alexakoenig.bsky.social:
opiniojuris.org/2025/11/24/c...
opiniojuris.org/2025/11/24/c...
Collaborations Across Borders and Disciplines: Insights from Open-Source Investigations
[Isabella Regan is PhD researcher at the department of Law, Society and Crime of Erasmus School of Law, Rotterdam, focusing on public and private open-source investigations and atrocity crimes. Ale…
opiniojuris.org
November 24, 2025 at 9:54 PM
"A structural approach to OSI collaborations may enhance rigorous, credible and meaningful investigations that leverage the richness of multidisciplinary input, rather than being hampered by it." Read more in @opiniojuris.bsky.social / @alexakoenig.bsky.social:
opiniojuris.org/2025/11/24/c...
opiniojuris.org/2025/11/24/c...
Reposted by Human Rights Center
1/2 "Investigating Hell" - our student team at the @hrcberkeley.bsky.social's Investigations Lab discuss their methods + experiences conducting open source research for Human Rights Watch's important new report "You Have Arrived in Hell"
medium.com/humanrightsc...
medium.com/humanrightsc...
Investigating hell: How our students supported Human Rights Watch’s report on El Salvador’s CECOT
This is a co-authored post by Talia Harter, Maneh Davityan, Kyle Sweasey, Nick D’Acri, Ana Gonzalez, Audrey Colocho, Daniella Spero
medium.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:50 PM
1/2 "Investigating Hell" - our student team at the @hrcberkeley.bsky.social's Investigations Lab discuss their methods + experiences conducting open source research for Human Rights Watch's important new report "You Have Arrived in Hell"
medium.com/humanrightsc...
medium.com/humanrightsc...
📣 Applications are now open for the 2026 HRC Student Fellowship! UC students receive an $8,000 stipend, training & mentorship to complete 8+ weeks of human rights fieldwork with a partner organization of their choice.
🗓️ Deadline: Feb 17, 2026
🔗 Apply: humanrights.berkeley.edu/programs-and...
🗓️ Deadline: Feb 17, 2026
🔗 Apply: humanrights.berkeley.edu/programs-and...
Student Fellowship - Berkeley Human Rights Center
Providing fellowships for hundreds of students to contribute their energy and expertise to human rights organizations in the United States and abroad.
humanrights.berkeley.edu
November 19, 2025 at 10:07 PM
📣 Applications are now open for the 2026 HRC Student Fellowship! UC students receive an $8,000 stipend, training & mentorship to complete 8+ weeks of human rights fieldwork with a partner organization of their choice.
🗓️ Deadline: Feb 17, 2026
🔗 Apply: humanrights.berkeley.edu/programs-and...
🗓️ Deadline: Feb 17, 2026
🔗 Apply: humanrights.berkeley.edu/programs-and...
🚨 1/2: Our Investigations Lab students + staff contributed essential research verifying detention conditions and patterns of abuse in @hrw.org + @cristosal.bsky.social's new report on arbitrary detention, torture + inhumane conditions in El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison.
🔗 www.hrw.org/report/2025/...
🔗 www.hrw.org/report/2025/...
“You Have Arrived in Hell”
The 81-page report, “‘You Have Arrived in Hell’: Torture and Other Abuses Against Venezuelans in El Salvador’s Mega Prison,” provides a comprehensive account of the treatment of these people in El Sal...
www.hrw.org
November 17, 2025 at 11:35 PM
🚨 1/2: Our Investigations Lab students + staff contributed essential research verifying detention conditions and patterns of abuse in @hrw.org + @cristosal.bsky.social's new report on arbitrary detention, torture + inhumane conditions in El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison.
🔗 www.hrw.org/report/2025/...
🔗 www.hrw.org/report/2025/...
HRC Faculty Director Eric Stover joined the newest episode of the “Human Rights: Conversations Across Generations” podcast to reflect on four decades of applying forensic science to advance human rights globally.
🎧 Listen now: open.spotify.com/episode/0AD6...
🎧 Listen now: open.spotify.com/episode/0AD6...
Eric Stover: A Pioneer in Forensic Human Rights
open.spotify.com
November 14, 2025 at 5:38 PM
HRC Faculty Director Eric Stover joined the newest episode of the “Human Rights: Conversations Across Generations” podcast to reflect on four decades of applying forensic science to advance human rights globally.
🎧 Listen now: open.spotify.com/episode/0AD6...
🎧 Listen now: open.spotify.com/episode/0AD6...
🎬 Happening TODAY!
⏰ 4:30 PM
📍 @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social Booth Auditorium (Room 175)
RSVP: events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
⏰ 4:30 PM
📍 @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social Booth Auditorium (Room 175)
RSVP: events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
November 5, 2025 at 1:56 PM
🎬 Happening TODAY!
⏰ 4:30 PM
📍 @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social Booth Auditorium (Room 175)
RSVP: events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
⏰ 4:30 PM
📍 @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social Booth Auditorium (Room 175)
RSVP: events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
Today @apha.org: Julie Freccero & Michaela Austin present findings from Family and Me, a groundbreaking foster care model centering youth impacted by commercial sexual exploitation in San Francisco. We're thrilled to share our findings evaluating the program:
www.apha.org/events-and-m...
www.apha.org/events-and-m...
Program
The APHA 2025 program offers ample educational and networking opportunities to engage, collaborate and grow to meet your professional goals.
www.apha.org
November 4, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Today @apha.org: Julie Freccero & Michaela Austin present findings from Family and Me, a groundbreaking foster care model centering youth impacted by commercial sexual exploitation in San Francisco. We're thrilled to share our findings evaluating the program:
www.apha.org/events-and-m...
www.apha.org/events-and-m...
🧵1/5 Our October newsletter just dropped! Check out our new projects & latest updates, including groundbreaking research on farmworker safety, a visit from @bellingcat.com to our Investigations Lab, our annual Human Rights Fellowship Conference, & much more: conta.cc/43JPELf
HRC October Newsletter
Email from Human Rights Center New wildfire safe and healthy research, fellowship conference, and more! October 2025 Newsletter 2024–2025 student fellow Rachel Wallace presents on a panel at the 2
conta.cc
October 31, 2025 at 9:06 PM
🧵1/5 Our October newsletter just dropped! Check out our new projects & latest updates, including groundbreaking research on farmworker safety, a visit from @bellingcat.com to our Investigations Lab, our annual Human Rights Fellowship Conference, & much more: conta.cc/43JPELf
Join us for Estado de Silencio (State of Silence), a film on #PressFreedom in #Mexico. Panel & Q&A to follow w/ director Santiago Maza, @berkeleyjournalism.bsky.social Michael Bolden & more!
📅 Nov. 5
⏰ 4:30 PM
📍 @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social Booth Auditorium
🔗 RSVP: events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
📅 Nov. 5
⏰ 4:30 PM
📍 @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social Booth Auditorium
🔗 RSVP: events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
ESTADO DE SILENCIO/STATE OF SILENCE: film screening and panel
State of Silence/Estado de Silencio explores the limits of freedom of the press in Mexico, following four journalists who risk their lives to repor...
events.berkeley.edu
October 28, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Join us for Estado de Silencio (State of Silence), a film on #PressFreedom in #Mexico. Panel & Q&A to follow w/ director Santiago Maza, @berkeleyjournalism.bsky.social Michael Bolden & more!
📅 Nov. 5
⏰ 4:30 PM
📍 @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social Booth Auditorium
🔗 RSVP: events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
📅 Nov. 5
⏰ 4:30 PM
📍 @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social Booth Auditorium
🔗 RSVP: events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
HRC's Linda Gordon and @publichealth.berkeley.edu's Dr. Carly Hyland have published two reports examining how Sonoma County’s Ag Pass program impacts the health, safety, and livelihoods of agricultural workers during wildfires. Read more @pressdemo.bsky.social:
www.pressdemocrat.com/2025/10/24/b...
www.pressdemocrat.com/2025/10/24/b...
UC Berkeley researchers find 75% of surveyed field workers labored during Sonoma County wildfires since 2017
A study published this week takes a highly critical view of Sonoma County’s Ag Pass program, adding to previous analyses that suggest the system, which allows agricultural workers into disaster eva…
www.pressdemocrat.com
October 27, 2025 at 9:25 PM
HRC's Linda Gordon and @publichealth.berkeley.edu's Dr. Carly Hyland have published two reports examining how Sonoma County’s Ag Pass program impacts the health, safety, and livelihoods of agricultural workers during wildfires. Read more @pressdemo.bsky.social:
www.pressdemocrat.com/2025/10/24/b...
www.pressdemocrat.com/2025/10/24/b...
1/2: Through the Climate Disasters Initiative, the Human Rights Center @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social partners with frontline communities, analyzes disaster laws and policies, and trains students to advance equity in preparedness and recovery: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpNe...
Climate Disasters Initiative Profile
YouTube video by Human Rights Center, UC Berkeley
www.youtube.com
October 24, 2025 at 6:44 PM
1/2: Through the Climate Disasters Initiative, the Human Rights Center @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social partners with frontline communities, analyzes disaster laws and policies, and trains students to advance equity in preparedness and recovery: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpNe...
🧵1/2: Our professional trainings equip researchers, lawyers & journalists worldwide with digital #OSINT skills — from the Global Majority to The Hague. We’re building a global network of investigators advancing justice:
youtube.com/watch?v=6vioLLzibhM&list=PLwWtyqEOycvp8zr_BKBNlQMeLzy3mbWhy&index=4
youtube.com/watch?v=6vioLLzibhM&list=PLwWtyqEOycvp8zr_BKBNlQMeLzy3mbWhy&index=4
Professional Trainings Profile
YouTube video by Human Rights Center, UC Berkeley
youtube.com
October 23, 2025 at 4:23 PM
🧵1/2: Our professional trainings equip researchers, lawyers & journalists worldwide with digital #OSINT skills — from the Global Majority to The Hague. We’re building a global network of investigators advancing justice:
youtube.com/watch?v=6vioLLzibhM&list=PLwWtyqEOycvp8zr_BKBNlQMeLzy3mbWhy&index=4
youtube.com/watch?v=6vioLLzibhM&list=PLwWtyqEOycvp8zr_BKBNlQMeLzy3mbWhy&index=4
Join us for Estado de Silencio (State of Silence), a film on press freedom in Mexico. Panel to follow with director Santiago Maza, @berkeleyjournalism.bsky.social's Michael Bolden & more!
📅 Nov. 5
⏰ 4:30 PM
📍 @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social Booth Auditorium
🔗 RSVP: events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
📅 Nov. 5
⏰ 4:30 PM
📍 @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social Booth Auditorium
🔗 RSVP: events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
ESTADO DE SILENCIO/STATE OF SILENCE: film screening and panel
State of Silence/Estado de Silencio explores the limits of freedom of the press in Mexico, following four journalists who risk their lives to repor...
events.berkeley.edu
October 22, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Join us for Estado de Silencio (State of Silence), a film on press freedom in Mexico. Panel to follow with director Santiago Maza, @berkeleyjournalism.bsky.social's Michael Bolden & more!
📅 Nov. 5
⏰ 4:30 PM
📍 @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social Booth Auditorium
🔗 RSVP: events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
📅 Nov. 5
⏰ 4:30 PM
📍 @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social Booth Auditorium
🔗 RSVP: events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
🧵 1/2: The Aurora Project centers youth voices and advances research on the protection & mental health needs of LGBTQI+ refugee and conflict-affected youth. Findings will help shape global child protection guidance & tools for humanitarian practitioners: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wPN...
Aurora Profile
YouTube video by Human Rights Center, UC Berkeley
www.youtube.com
October 22, 2025 at 4:23 PM
🧵 1/2: The Aurora Project centers youth voices and advances research on the protection & mental health needs of LGBTQI+ refugee and conflict-affected youth. Findings will help shape global child protection guidance & tools for humanitarian practitioners: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wPN...
The Family and Me (FAM) foster care pilot supports Bay Area youth who’ve experienced or are at risk of exploitation. FAM helps build trust, stability & belonging through caring families and consistent support:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdhG...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdhG...
Family and Me Profile
YouTube video by Human Rights Center, UC Berkeley
www.youtube.com
October 21, 2025 at 5:09 PM
The Family and Me (FAM) foster care pilot supports Bay Area youth who’ve experienced or are at risk of exploitation. FAM helps build trust, stability & belonging through caring families and consistent support:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdhG...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdhG...
Reposted by Human Rights Center
Researchers from our Human Rights Center @hrcberkeley.bsky.social and UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health @ucbpublichealth.bsky.social issued two reports about the effects of wildfires on local agricultural workers. https://bit.ly/4o2UYSk #UCBerkeleyLaw
New Reports Examine Local Farmworkers’ Well-Being and Economic Security During Wildfires
Researchers from our Human Rights Center (HRC) and UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health issued two reports about the effects of wildfires on local agricultural workers. Surveying over 1,000 farmworke...
www.law.berkeley.edu
October 21, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Researchers from our Human Rights Center @hrcberkeley.bsky.social and UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health @ucbpublichealth.bsky.social issued two reports about the effects of wildfires on local agricultural workers. https://bit.ly/4o2UYSk #UCBerkeleyLaw
Join us for our virtual roundtable on impacts of aggregated online speech HRC's @betsypopken.bsky.social, UCB Tech Policy Fellow Meri Baghdasaryan, fmr UN Sp. Rapporteur @davidakaye.bsky.social & others!
📅 Oct. 21
🕰️ 9 AM PST
📍Virtual (Zoom)
🔗 Registration Required
events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
📅 Oct. 21
🕰️ 9 AM PST
📍Virtual (Zoom)
🔗 Registration Required
events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
Rethinking Responsibility for Online Harm Accumulation
A virtual roundtable discussion with global experts to discuss the distinct harms caused by the aggregation of online speech. While individual post...
events.berkeley.edu
October 20, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Join us for our virtual roundtable on impacts of aggregated online speech HRC's @betsypopken.bsky.social, UCB Tech Policy Fellow Meri Baghdasaryan, fmr UN Sp. Rapporteur @davidakaye.bsky.social & others!
📅 Oct. 21
🕰️ 9 AM PST
📍Virtual (Zoom)
🔗 Registration Required
events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
📅 Oct. 21
🕰️ 9 AM PST
📍Virtual (Zoom)
🔗 Registration Required
events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
Our Technology, Law & Policy team, led by @lindsaysfreeman.bsky.social, supports international prosecutors through research on emerging technologies, digital investigations, and case-building, helping international law keep pace with modern weapons of war:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-6B...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-6B...
Technology, Law & Policy Profile
YouTube video by Human Rights Center, UC Berkeley
www.youtube.com
October 20, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Our Technology, Law & Policy team, led by @lindsaysfreeman.bsky.social, supports international prosecutors through research on emerging technologies, digital investigations, and case-building, helping international law keep pace with modern weapons of war:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-6B...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-6B...
🧵1/4 We’re thrilled to share two new reports, co-published by the Human Rights Center and @berkeleypublichlth.bsky.social, examining how Sonoma County’s Ag Pass program affects farmworker health, safety, and livelihoods during wildfires:
humanrights.berkeley.edu/projects/cal...
humanrights.berkeley.edu/projects/cal...
California Wildfires - Berkeley Human Rights Center
humanrights.berkeley.edu
October 20, 2025 at 4:19 PM
🧵1/4 We’re thrilled to share two new reports, co-published by the Human Rights Center and @berkeleypublichlth.bsky.social, examining how Sonoma County’s Ag Pass program affects farmworker health, safety, and livelihoods during wildfires:
humanrights.berkeley.edu/projects/cal...
humanrights.berkeley.edu/projects/cal...
For 30+ years, our Student Fellowship Program has trained the next generation of #HumanRights leaders—providing hands-on experience that shapes their research, advocacy & careers. Watch one fellow's story below!
🌍 400+ fellows
🤝 350+ orgs
✈️ 88+ countries
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgti...
🌍 400+ fellows
🤝 350+ orgs
✈️ 88+ countries
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgti...
Student Fellowship Profile
YouTube video by Human Rights Center, UC Berkeley
www.youtube.com
October 17, 2025 at 5:27 PM
For 30+ years, our Student Fellowship Program has trained the next generation of #HumanRights leaders—providing hands-on experience that shapes their research, advocacy & careers. Watch one fellow's story below!
🌍 400+ fellows
🤝 350+ orgs
✈️ 88+ countries
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgti...
🌍 400+ fellows
🤝 350+ orgs
✈️ 88+ countries
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgti...
Our Investigations Lab trains students in #OSINT & digital verification to document human rights violations worldwide. We’ve partnered with @amnesty.org, @hrw.org, @apnews.com & more to investigate abuses in Sudan, Iran, the United States & beyond. Explore more: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT6D...
Investigations Lab Profile
YouTube video by Human Rights Center, UC Berkeley
www.youtube.com
October 16, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Our Investigations Lab trains students in #OSINT & digital verification to document human rights violations worldwide. We’ve partnered with @amnesty.org, @hrw.org, @apnews.com & more to investigate abuses in Sudan, Iran, the United States & beyond. Explore more: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT6D...
1/2🧵: Our 2024–2025 Annual Report is here! At HRC, we build community, defend facts, pursue justice, and foster a world where everyone's rights are upheld. Thank you to our students, staff, partners & donors for making this work possible:
humanrights.berkeley.edu/publications...
humanrights.berkeley.edu/publications...
Annual Report 2024/2025 - Berkeley Human Rights Center
humanrights.berkeley.edu
October 15, 2025 at 4:42 PM
1/2🧵: Our 2024–2025 Annual Report is here! At HRC, we build community, defend facts, pursue justice, and foster a world where everyone's rights are upheld. Thank you to our students, staff, partners & donors for making this work possible:
humanrights.berkeley.edu/publications...
humanrights.berkeley.edu/publications...
FRIDAY: Join our annual #HumanRights Fellowship Conference! Hear all about our student fellows and their research from Nigeria, Argentina, U.S. & more:
📅 Oct. 10
⌚️12:45–5 PM
📍@ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social (Booth Auditorium, Rm 175)
🍴 Free lunch + reception to follow:
events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
📅 Oct. 10
⌚️12:45–5 PM
📍@ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social (Booth Auditorium, Rm 175)
🍴 Free lunch + reception to follow:
events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
2025 Human Rights Center Fellowship Conference
The 2025 Human Rights Center fellows will discuss their experience working with organizations in California, New York, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Nigeria...
events.berkeley.edu
October 8, 2025 at 4:39 PM
FRIDAY: Join our annual #HumanRights Fellowship Conference! Hear all about our student fellows and their research from Nigeria, Argentina, U.S. & more:
📅 Oct. 10
⌚️12:45–5 PM
📍@ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social (Booth Auditorium, Rm 175)
🍴 Free lunch + reception to follow:
events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
📅 Oct. 10
⌚️12:45–5 PM
📍@ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social (Booth Auditorium, Rm 175)
🍴 Free lunch + reception to follow:
events.berkeley.edu/hrc/event/30...
Reposted by Human Rights Center
Only by combining Rome Statute prosecutions with complementary measures –such as sanctions, export controls & civil litigation– can the intl. community build a robust framework for accountability for #spyware harms.
✍️ @hrcberkeley.bsky.social's Lindsay Freeman.
www.justsecurity.org/118463/rome-...
✍️ @hrcberkeley.bsky.social's Lindsay Freeman.
www.justsecurity.org/118463/rome-...
The Rome Statute in the Digital Age: Confronting Emerging Cyber Threats
For the Rome Statute to remain relevant, practitioners must understand how governments can deploy spyware to commit international crimes.
www.justsecurity.org
October 7, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Only by combining Rome Statute prosecutions with complementary measures –such as sanctions, export controls & civil litigation– can the intl. community build a robust framework for accountability for #spyware harms.
✍️ @hrcberkeley.bsky.social's Lindsay Freeman.
www.justsecurity.org/118463/rome-...
✍️ @hrcberkeley.bsky.social's Lindsay Freeman.
www.justsecurity.org/118463/rome-...