Dissidents and Dictators

Thanks to the Winter Olympics in Beijing, and Qatar’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup, 2022 was dubbed “sportswashing’s biggest year.” This episode, recorded at the 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum, shares powerful, behind-the-scenes stories and tips on raising awareness of how authoritarian regimes weaponize global games to whitewash their abuses. Karim Zidan: Author and journalist Malcolm Bidali: Labor rights activist and blogger Chemi Lhamo: Tibetan activist and community organizer Lise Klaveness: President of the Norwegian Football Federation, lawyer, and human rights advocate

This episode, recorded at the 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum, explores the correlation between the rise in authoritarian regimes and modern slavery. Looking to history and learning from the present, panelists discuss how slavery has been wielded as a way for those regimes to maintain power and how affected communities have stood in resistance to change the future. Featured Guests: 1. Amy Rahe: Managing Director at the Freedom Fund and anti-trafficking advocate 2. Filmon Debru: Eritrean human trafficking survivor Leonardo Sakamoto: Brazilian journalist and anti-forced labor advocate 3. Jessie Bruner: Associate Director of Strategy and Program Development at the Center for Human Rights and International Justice at Stanford University

Over 17.6 million Ukrainians — more than 40% of the country’s population — require humanitarian assistance. HRF’s partner organization, Renegade Relief Runners, focuses on delivering essential supplies, including food, clean water, and medical aid, to Ukraine’s most heavily impacted regions. In this episode, Renegade Relief Runners co-founders Julia Abratańska and Chris Tiller discuss Ukraine’s current humanitarian needs, the challenges local aid groups face, and what the international community can do to support aid work.

In this episode, recorded at the 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum in Taiwan, we hear from Chung Ching Kwong (鄺頌晴), a Hong Kong political and digital rights activist. Kwong discusses the parallels between Taiwan and Hong Kong and urges the international community to press their governments to hold China accountable.

In this episode, recorded at the 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum in Taiwan, we hear from Wu’er Kaixi (吾爾開希), general secretary of Taiwan's Parliamentary Human Rights Commission. Born in China as an Uyghur national, Wu’er Kaixi was one of the founders and key organizers of the 1989 Tiananmen student movement. Listed as No. 2 on the Chinese government’s most wanted student leaders after the June 4 massacre, Wu’er Kaixi fled the country to live in exile. He currently resides in Taiwan, where he remains an active human rights and democracy activist, political commentator, and columnist.

In this episode, recorded at the 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum in Taiwan, we hear from Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit (塔納通·宗龍倫吉), a pro-democracy activist and leader of the opposition Future Forward Party in Thailand. As a result of his advocacy for freedom and democracy, Juangroongruangkit was stripped of his parliamentary seat by the ruling military junta.

In this episode, recorded at the 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum in Taiwan, we hear from Freddy Tshiong-Tso Lim (林昶佐), the lead vocalist of the Taiwanese metal band Chthonic and a member of Taiwan’s parliament. He shares how Taiwan can help play a critical role in protecting and promoting human rights, in the face of authoritarian aggression.

In this episode, recorded at the 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum in Taiwan, we hear from Areej al-Sadhan (阿雷潔·薩丹), activist and sister to Red Crescent humanitarian worker Abdulrahman al-Sadhan who was imprisoned during a mass crackdown in Saudi Arabia. Areej remains outspoken on the ill-treatment of her brother and other activists and publicly denounced Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s brutal human rights abuses.

In this episode, recorded at the 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum in New York, we hear from Garry Kasparov, chairman of the Human Rights Foundation (HRF). Widely considered history’s greatest chess player, Kasparov retired from the sport in 2005 to devote his time to human rights activism. An outspoken advocate for democracy and ardent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kasparov speaks on the war in Ukraine, a battle between freedom and tyranny.

In this episode, recorded at the 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum in New York, anti-rape activist, beauty pageant queen, and author Toufah Jallow speaks on breaking the culture of silence around sexual violence in The Gambia and inspiring the #IamToufah movement, Gambia’s #MeToo. Jallow founded the Toufah Foundation to create a community of support for sexual violence survivors and to advocate for accountability and reforms.