Kenneth Roth: Tyrants Trust Sycophants, I Challenge Them with the Truth

Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, has spent over three decades at the forefront of the global human rights movement, challenging abusive governments and fighting for justice. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O'Brien sits down with Kenneth to discuss his extraordinary career, from his early years learning his father’s refugee story, to his pivotal role in shaping international human rights advocacy.

Kenneth reflects on the strategies he employed to push oppressive regimes into compliance, from leveraging international pressure to navigating the complex geopolitics of the world’s most powerful autocrats. He offers a candid look at the personal and professional challenges he faced while battling dictators like Putin, Xi Jinping, and Assad, and the lessons he’s learned along the way.

Insightful and unflinching, Kenneth shares stories of victories and setbacks, the evolution of the human rights movement, and how he remains motivated by the belief that positive change, however incremental, is always possible. This episode explores the sacrifices, triumphs, and complexities of a career dedicated to exposing injustice and holding the powerful accountable.

Righting Wrongs: Three Descased on the Front Lines Battling Abusive Governments, by Kenneth Roth. Available to order now.