Books to make you think 2025: Are Human Rights Being Ripped Away?

16 snips

Mar 4, 2025

Kenneth Roth, author of "Righting Wrongs" and former head of Human Rights Watch, shares his bold approach to human rights advocacy, emphasizing the need for pressure on oppressive governments. Andrew Clapham, a professor of international law and author of "War", explores the complexities of accountability in armed conflicts, challenging the notion that only leaders bear responsibility for war crimes. Both guests tackle the pressing issues of global democracy versus autocracy and the evolving laws of war, highlighting ethical implications and the accountability of military actions.

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ANECDOTE

Syrian Intervention

Ken Roth's Human Rights Watch pressured Putin to stop bombing civilians in Idlib, Syria.
They achieved this by influencing Western governments to exert pressure on Putin.

INSIGHT

Leverage at Unexpected Venues

Roth found leverage at events like Davos and the Munich Security Conference.
These venues provided easy access to heads of state and ministers.

ANECDOTE

Accusations of Anti-Semitism

Roth, despite being Jewish, faces accusations of anti-Semitism for criticizing Israeli abuses.
He sees this as a cynical strategy to silence critics of the Israeli government.

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On Inside Geneva this week, we take a step back from the breaking news and talk to the authors of two books about the better side of humanity.

“The defence of human rights is not a matter of holding a candle and singing Kumbaya. The defence of human rights is about playing hardball. It's about putting pressure on governments, making them realise that repression isn't paying because the consequences are so severe,” says Kenneth Roth, author of Righting Wrongs.

Those consequences apply to violations of the laws of war – laws that are much stricter than you might think.

“One can speak about the leaders of a war of aggression as having individual criminal responsibility. If it’s illegal for the leader, maybe it’s illegal also for the soldiers who participate in it. And maybe it’s a violation not just to kill civilians on the other side, but Ukrainian soldiers,” continues Andrew Clapham, author of War.

Defending human rights doesn’t always make you popular.

“I made sure that Human Rights Watch was bringing facts to the table that the governments didn’t know. That was part of my job. My father fled the Nazis as a young boy. I grew up Jewish. I am Jewish. So I feel a certain responsibility to take on not just the duty of criticising Israeli abuses, but also to address the misuse of anti-Semitism,” says Roth.

And while some governments are pushing back, international law is robust.

“You might think that by changing the lawyers or creating facts on the ground, you’re going to get away with it. But those war crimes allegations stick to you for life. There’s no statute of limitations on war crimes, and you could easily find yourself prosecuted in ten or 20 years’ time,” says Clapham.

Join host Imogen Foulkes for in-depth interviews on two thought-provoking books.

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Host: Imogen Foulkes
Production assitant: Claire-Marie Germain
Distribution: Sara Pasino
Marketing: Xin Zhang