Dissidents and Dictators

Casey sits down with Alex Dukalskis and Adam Scharpf, a pair of academics whose groundbreaking work shines new light on why dictatorships hire Western public relations firms. They talk about just how widespread the issue is, and what PR firms actually do for their dictatorial clients. They also chat about the PR industry's ethics as a whole, and why PR firms are so eager to help authoritarians - and how other democracies can help shine light on the phenomenon. Learn more about their research: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/xk6b6ykobnxv9yiyg0ttn/Dictators_PR_Firms.pdf?dl=0&e=4&rlkey=iq7kxl7z3qwv43u67pnaeqpfn

Casey and Elisha are joined by Mounir Ibrahim, a former US State Department diplomat-turned-techie, to talk about cheapfakes, deepfakes, the mal-use of Generative AI by bad actors around the globe, and what that means not only for human rights and democracy but for getting to the truth in a world of deception.

On today’s episode, Casey and Elisha are joined by Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire and Kate Gibson, part of her international legal team, to discuss the case they filed with the East African Court of Justice to restore Ingabire’s civic rights after being absurdly convicted of terrorism and genocide denial, for which she spent eight years in prison. Now, she’s not only being barred from running in the country’s July presidential elections; she is also being prevented from leaving the country. The foursome unpack the question: What is Paul Kagame, Rwanda’s decades-long dictator, so afraid of?

Casey and Elisha speak with Masih Alinejad, one of the leading journalists and campaigners highlighting the crimes of the regime still in power in Iran. They discuss Masih's journey, as well as the recent abduction and assassination attempts against her in the US and how the democratic world can continue standing up against the despots in Tehran. They also talk about how the solution to modern diplomacy might be found in, of all things, pickles.

Casey and Elisha talk about Casey's new book, "Foreign Agents," on all the ways dictators use lobbyists in the US to entrench their regimes and stamp out democratic movements. They talk about how regimes from Moscow to Beijing and beyond rely on these Americans to do their dirty work, and how these foreign lobbyists became henchmen and foot-soldiers for the worst dictatorships around the world. They also discuss Michael Bublé. To read Casey's book: "Foreign Agents" - https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250286055/foreignagents

Casey and Elisha chat with Joey Siu, a 25-year-old Hong Konger with a bounty on her head, after the Chinese Communist Party accused her of violating its draconian national security law. In 2019, Siu played a pivotal role in organizing large-scale pro-democracy protests. Now, living in exile, her work has anything but slowed. Siu talks about what it was like to leave a home and a family she loved, what it was like to learn about the Hong Kong government's price on her head, and what she's doing next to combat the CCP.

Casey speaks with Russian opposition figure Anastasia Shevchenko, who was the first person to face criminal prosecution under Russia's so-called "undesirable organizations" law. Anastasia talks about how her role as a mother propelled her into the fight against both corruption and dictatorship, as well as the new documentary focusing on her work and family, which was recently shortlisted for an Academy Award. To watch "Anastasia" documentary: https://www.paramountplus.com/movies/video/2jX2Jk8zI_730uXuNU36QH9_bM_eYacO/ To watch the trailer for "Anastasia" documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohYLMdMSs4QChange.org

Casey and Elisha talk with Rushan Abbas, the founder of Campaign for Uyghurs, about the Chinese Communist Party's ongoing genocide against Uyghurs. They discuss some of the policy successes in recent years helping shine a light on Beijing's crimes, and a new congressional caucus aiding Uyghurs. They also talk about Rushan's journey into activism - and how Beijing's efforts to silence her have blown up in the CCP's face. To visit the Campaigning for Uyghurs website: https://campaignforuyghurs.org/leadership/

Casey and Elisha speak with HRF's Africa policy officer, Mo Keita, talks about the recent arrest of Swazi activist and former podcast guest, Tanele Maseko. They talk about how the Swazi regime's efforts to silence critics continue to backfire and how to support the pro-democratic reformers targeting Africa's last absolute monarchy. To listen to Casey and Elisha speak to Tanele Maseko on Dissidents and Dictators: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I3HJ2AKGak&list=PL3qhzGxahwqbYKj2Q-ZczKNaeofATzMgG&index=5

Casey and Elisha are joined by Karim Zidan, one of the world's foremost experts on how authoritarian regimes use the world of sports for their own ends. Karim discusses the history of the intersection of sports and politics, why the term "sportswashing" may already be outdated, and how depressing it is to be a Seattle Mariners fan. Learn more about our blog series on sportswashing: https://hrf.org/category/history-of-sports-and-dictators/