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kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · 1d

At Jifeng Books, forced from Shanghai to Washington, I discussed how to address repression in China, and Beijing's threat to the global rights system, drawing from my book, Righting Wrongs: Three Decades on the Front Lines Battling Abusive Governments. www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4KL...

Reposted

Yaqiu Wang 王亚秋 @yaqiu.bsky.social · 6d

Please join me tomorrow at 6pm in DC with @kennethroth.bsky.social to share his experience of being deported from Hong Kong and sanctioned by the Chinese government, and why staying principled is, in fact, the most effective strategy for creating change: www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticket...

Podcast Episode · 7am · 29/09/2025 · 15m

kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · 8d

Trump is flouting the most basic principles of justice by threatening an evidence-free prosecutorial vendetta against George Soros. I explain: podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/t...

Trump’s retribution list

podcasts.apple.com

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kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · 11d

Trump's threat to concoct criminal charges against George Soros, a generous progressive donor who represents the opposite of the violence that Trump pretends he promotes, is the next step in the Autocrat's Handbook that Trump is implementing. I explain: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Trump’s attack on George Soros is the next step in the autocrat’s handbook | Kenneth Roth

Having already attacked judges, lawyers, media companies and universities, the president has set his sights on civilians

Philippines: Dismantle ‘Davao Death Squad’

kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · 15d

I am proud to have held a press conference in Manila in 2009 to spotlight the "drug war" death squads of then-Mayor Duterte. www.hrw.org/news/2009/04... Today those summary executions were among the ones the International Criminal Court charged Duterte for. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

www.hrw.org

kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · 16d

No, Netanyahu, recognition of a Palestinian state is not a "prize for terrorism” but a penalty for your genocide. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

Netanyahu calls UK’s Palestine recognition ‘absurd prize for terrorism’

Opposition leader Yair Golan blames government’s political recklessness and refusal to end the war in Gaza

The challenge of proving genocide

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kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · 19d

The International Court of Justice needs to change its jurisprudence on genocide. It currently treats ethnic cleansing (ridiculously) as a defense rather than, as in the case of Israel in Gaza, a motive. I explain: www.swissinfo.ch/eng/human-ri...

The ICJ has to decide on whether Israel’s alleged crimes in Gaza amount to a genocide. Key to the ruling will be proving intent.

www.swissinfo.ch

kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · 23d

On Open Talk, I explain why Putin and Netanyahu should take heed from the fate of former Philippines President Duterte. They may hope for impunity by becoming president-for-life, but that is hard. Once a leader loses power, he is vulnerable to prosecution. youtu.be/Km0nCZyqcls?...

KEN ROTH ON HUMAN RIGHTS, THE ICC PROSECUTOR CRISIS, AND WHY DUTERTE'S TRIAL MATTERS

YouTube video by Caloy Conde

youtu.be

kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · 26d

The timidity of UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres and UN rights chief Volker Turk in addressing certain issues -- China's persecution of Uyghurs, Israel's genocide in Gaza -- impedes the ability of the UN Human Rights Council to do its job. I explain: dialogueinitiatives.org/how-states-a...

How States are Undermining the UN’s Human Rights Council

The United Nations Human Rights Council was born of frustration with the poor human rights record of many members of

dialogueinitiatives.org

The ICC Needs a Chief Prosecutor

kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · 27d

This is a terrible time for the International Criminal Court to be headless. The sexual assault accusation against the chief prosecutor should be resolved one way or the other. There are too many important decisions to be made to wait endlessly. foreignpolicy.com/2025/09/11/i...

Allegations against the court’s head prosecutor have hampered its effectiveness. They should be addressed immediately.

foreignpolicy.com

Trump’s killing of 11 alleged Venezuelan drug traffickers sets a dangerous precedent | Kenneth Roth

kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · Sep 4

If Trump's summary killing of 11 alleged Venezuelan drug traffickers becomes normalized, everyone would be at risk of him declaring "war" against a disfavored group and then shooting, rather than arresting and prosecuting, its members. I explain: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Unless this dangerous precedent is condemned and curtailed, it will enable US authorities to summarily shoot anyone they choose

Righting Wrongs by Kenneth Roth: 9780593801321 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · Sep 3

Drug traffickers are not combatants who can be summarily shot on sight, which is what the laws of war allow. Rather, they are criminal suspects who must be arrested and prosecuted. By ordering military force against alleged drug traffickers, Trump directed a summary execution, a criminal murder.

From the long-time head of Human Rights Watch, the fascinating and inspiring story of taking on the biggest villains and toughest autocrats around the world ONE OF THE ECONOMIST'S BEST BOOKS OF 2025....

www.penguinrandomhouse.com

kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · Aug 29

On CBC, I discuss how Trump is trying to destroy the International Criminal Court -- and why he will fail. www.cbc.ca/radio/frontb...

Is the International Criminal Court's future in peril? | CBC Radio

As Trump unleashes a new wave of sanctions against the ICC, we look at what the court is meant to do, its limitations, and its future.

www.cbc.ca

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kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · Aug 29

“Righting Wrongs is more than a memoir; it is both a history of modern human rights battles and a practical guide to advocacy. Roth writes with the same precision that defined his leadership: unsparing but not cynical, deeply informed yet accessible.” www.middleeasteye.net/discover/ken...

Kenneth Roth’s Righting Wrongs: A life on the frontlines of human rights advocacy

Born into a Jewish family who escaped Nazi Germany, Roth has spent decades challenging governments and international organisations on their commitment to human rights

www.middleeasteye.net

Opinion | Civil Debate Is Still Possible on Campus. We Proved It at Harvard.

kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · Aug 26

I agree that civil debate about Israel is still possible at Harvard. I held three workshops at the Kennedy School, well attended by students with a range of views, and we civilly discussed the issues of war crimes, apartheid, and genocide. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/o...

www.nytimes.com

kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · Aug 26

Germany should join a European post-ceasefire "reassurance" force in Ukraine to deter Putin from replenishing his forces and reinvading. And Germany should help Trump understand that the stakes in Ukraine aren't mere real estate but Ukraine's democracy. I explain: www.ips-journal.eu/interviews/t...

‘That is not an option the West should accept’

Kenneth Roth on Putin's intentions, European peacekeeping forces and dependence on Trump

www.ips-journal.eu

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kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · Aug 21

It may be difficult for a real-estate mogul like Trump to recognize, but Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is not about slices of war-torn land in eastern Ukraine. It is about Ukraine’s democracy. Defending that democracy is key to ending the war. I explain:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Trump needs to understand what the war in Ukraine is really about | Kenneth Roth

It’s not about Nato or the Soviet Union. It’s about democracy.

Kenneth Roth on battling abusive governments

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kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · Aug 21

Everyone can contribute to the defense of human rights by commenting about government misconduct (with friends, family, work acquaintances, or on social media). That builds the public sense of right and wrong that is key to holding governments accountable. www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkKD...

YouTube video by UNSW

Urgent Ideas for Defending Press Freedom in Gaza

kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · Aug 18

Because journalists document & help deter war crimes, their deliberate killing deserves special protection. The International Criminal Court prosecutor should bring focused charges when Israel deliberately kills journalists such as Al Jazeera's Anas al-Sharif. I explain: www.cjr.org/feature/urge...

Letters, condemnations, and Israeli court cases have failed to change the world’s deadliest place for journalists. We’ve cast out for a new approach.

www.cjr.org

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kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · Aug 15

I discuss lessons from my book, Righting Wrongs: Governments have their reasons to violate rights – it’s a way to stay in power, to snuff out opposition. The rights movement changes that only through pressure. That comes from public outrage that we generate and deploy. www.rrr.org.au/on-demand/se...

Segments: Future Perfect: Kenneth Roth On 30 Years Of Leading Human Rights Watch — Triple R 102.7FM, Melbourne Independent Radio

Dylan Bird is joined by Kenneth Roth, former head of Human Rights Watch, for a wide-ranging discussion on the human rights movement, forcing government action and change, the Trump-Netanyahu relations...

www.rrr.org.au

Israel’s killing of Gaza journalists is a plan to silence and expel Palestinians: Analysis

kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · Aug 12

As I explain, Israel's deliberate killing of al Jazeera's journalists is an effort to close the eyes and ears of the world so there won't be witnesses as Netanyahu plans to intensify his invasion by moving troops into Gaza City, killing more civilians. www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8o8...

YouTube video by Al Jazeera English

Can Trump be shamed into supporting human rights?

kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · Aug 7

I spoke with the Guardian about how even Trump can be shamed into supporting human rights — not frontally, but by playing off his fragile ego to get him to do the right thing for the wrong reason. www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1CJ...

YouTube video by Guardian Australia

Who Will Save Gaza’s Children: The Untold Story of Survival and Loss Ft Kenneth Roth

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kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · Aug 6

In discussing my new book, Righting Wrongs, I explain how we can get Trump to do the right thing for the wrong reasons in Gaza. His quest for self-aggrandizement can be used to pressure Netanyahu to stop the genocide. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xdli...

YouTube video by Ahmed Eldin

The fight for international justice

kennethroth.bsky.social @kennethroth.bsky.social · Aug 5

I joined ABC News's "7:30" program to discuss what can be done to stop Israel's genocidal starvation of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. We also address the misuse of charges of antisemitism to stifle legitimate criticism of Israel's war-crime strategy. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

Sarah Ferguson presents Australia's premier daily current affairs program, delivering agenda-setting public affairs journalism and interviews that hold the powerful to account. Plus political analysis...

www.abc.net.au