RightsCity

In this episode, we talk to Rachel Gilmore about Canadian politics and disinformation, both foreign and domestic. Rachel Gilmore is an award-winning journalist with extensive experience reporting on federal politics, disinformation, and extremism. She uses her experience and platforms to explains and debunk online disinformation. We talk about the state of journalism and how traditional media could reach online audiences. We also cover the misogynistic threats and comments against Rachel and the sustained online abuse she receives.  You can find Rachel's work on YouTube and Tik Tok, and subscribe to her Podcast and Substack, Bubble Pop with Rachel Gilmore.  This episode is part of a special project supported by the Department of Canadian Heritage. Titled Digital Defenders Initiative, the aim of the project is to uncover transnational repression and foreign manipulation campaigns in Canada, and their impact on the diaspora. 

Entrevue avec le journaliste à Radio-Canada, Nicholas de Rosa, au sujet de l'influence étrangère et la désinformation au Canada, particulièrement sur des plateformes et réseaux tels que TikTok, youTube, WeChat, WhatsApp mais aussi sur X maintenant la compagnie est gérée par Elon Musk. Nous discutons aussi du Rapport de la Commission sur l'influence étrangère.  Cet épisode fait partie d'un projet soutenu par le ministère du Patrimoine canadien. Intitulé Digital Defenders Initiative, le projet vise à mettre au jour les campagnes de répression transnationale et de manipulation étrangère au Canada, ainsi que leurs impacts sur la diaspora.

In this podcast episode, we speak to Katherine Leung, Policy Advisor for Hong Kong Watch. The Hong Kong national security police recently issued a new wave of arrest warrants against six overseas Hong Kong rights defenders in the UK and Canada. We speak to Katherine about growing transnational repression against Hong Kongers in Canada and how that impacts the ability of community members to fully participate in Canadian democracy. Katherine also speaks about Canada's Foreign Interference Commission and where it may fall short. This episode is part of a special project supported by the Department of Canadian Heritage. Titled Digital Defenders Initiative, the aim of the project is to uncover transnational repression and foreign manipulation campaigns in Canada, and their impact on the diaspora. 

Today on the podcast, we speak to Iranian human rights activist Maryam Shafipour about Iranian-Canadians who say they are being threatened and monitored by affiliates of the Iranian regime in Canada.  Following seven months of pre-trial detention in Evin Prison, Maryam was sentenced to seven years in prison in March 2014. She was released after 2 years and found refuge in North America where she continues her activism.  This episode is part of a special project supported by the Department of Canadian Heritage. Titled Digital Defenders Initiative, the aim of the project is to uncover transnational repression and foreign manipulation campaigns in Canada, and their impact on the diaspora. 

In this episode of Human Rights Talks, we talk to Samuel Woolley, the Dietrich Endowed Chair in Disinformation Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Samuel talks about the role of encrypted messaging apps in spreading mis-and disinformation, how it impacts diaspora communities in particular and democracy more generally, and how some organizations are fighting back. Samuel Woolley is a writer and researcher specializing in the study of automation/artificial intelligence, emergent technology, politics, persuasion and social media. He is currently the Dietrich Endowed Chair in Disinformation Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Previously he founded the Propaganda Research Lab, Center for Media Engagement at The University of Texas at Austin. He also founded and directed the Digital Intelligence Lab at the Institute for the Future, a 50-year-old think tank based in the heart of Silicon Valley. He also cofounded and directed the research team at the Computational Propaganda Project at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford. He has written on political manipulation of technology for a variety of publications including Wired, The Atlantic, Motherboard VICE, TechCrunch, The Guardian, Quartz and Slate. His work has been presented to members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the US Congress, the UK Parliament and to numerous private entities and civil society organizations. 

In this episode of Human Rights Talks, we talk to Samuel Cooper about how the Chinese government and Chinese officials and proxies engage n transnational repression in Canada Sam Cooper is an award-winning investigative journalist and best-selling author, who has presented his anti-corruption findings to Canadian law enforcement agencies, officials in the Pentagon, financial and legal professionals, and academics. He was a reporter for The Province and Vancouver Sun in British Columbia, and Global News in Ottawa. He has won a number of awards for narrative reporting and his first book in titled "Wilful Blindness.  This episode is part of a special project supported by the Department of Canadian Heritage. Titled Digital Defenders Initiative, the aim of the project is to uncover transnational repression and foreign manipulation campaigns in Canada, and their impact on the diaspora. 

In this episode of Human Rights Talks, Shelly Ghai Bajaj (University of Waterloo) talks about the use of chat apps by diaspora communities in Canada. Shelly explores the flow, spread, and transfer of mis/disinformation on private chat and closed direct messaging apps among ethnocultural diasporic communities. Whether its about public health or politics, transnational disinformation creates multiple challenges for communities and for democracy.  Shelly Ghai Bajaj (Ph.D., University of Toronto, 2022) is a Postdoctoral Fellow working with Dr. Bessma Momani on projects relating to identity, democracy, disinformation, and social media. She studies comparative politics of both developing and advanced industrial democracies and is interested in the politics of identity and ethnonationalist mobilization, political parties and party strategy, the use of social media by political actors, and South Asian politics  

Dans cette discussion avec Fanny Tan, journaliste techno et chercheure à l'Observatoire des conflits multidimensionnels à la Chaire Raoul Dandurand de l'Uqam, nous parlons de la repression transnational et des campagnes de manipulation étrangère au Canada. Ce balado se fait dans le cadre d'un projet soutenu par Patrimoine Canada intitulé "Initiative des défenseurs du numérique".  Veuillez noter que le MIGS se nomme désormais le Centre Montreal pour la Sécurite Globale

In the lead up to the Montreal International Security Summit on China and the Indo-Pacific, which will take place on 16-17 October, MIGS hosted a X Spaces discussion with Maria Shagina (Diamond-Brown Senior Research Fellow, IISS) and Dr Justyna Szczudlik (Head of Asia Pacific Programme, PISM). This is a podcast episode version of the discussion. 

In the lead up to the Montreal International Security Summit, which will take place on 16-17 October, MIGS hosted a X Spaces discussion on China and the Indo-Pacific with Michael Caster (Asia Digital program Manager, Article 19). 

In the lead up to the Montreal International Security Summit, which will take place on 16-17 October, MIGS is hosting a series of X Spaces discussions on China and the Indo-Pacific. We spoke to EU MEP Reinhard Bütikofer (the Greens) and Canadian MP John McKay (Liberal Party) about the APT31, a China-nexus cyber espionage group behind a large-scale cyber espionage campaign against parliamentarians and activists. 

In the lead up to the Montreal International Security Summit, which will take place on 16-17 October, MIGS is hosting a series of X Spaces discussions on China and the Indo-Pacific.  In this discussion, we speak with Laura Harth (Digital Defenders) and Luke de Pulford (Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China) about the Chinese government's transnational repression around the globe and what democratic governments should do to confront this challenge. This series of discussion is produced thanks to the support of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Canada.

In the lead up to the Montreal International Security Summit, which will take place on 16-17 October, MIGS is hosting a series of X Spaces discussions on China and the Indo-Pacific. On 24 April, MIGS hosted Chinese-Canadian journalist and human rights activist Sheng Xue and Canadian journalist Sam Cooper to discuss China's foreign interference campaigns in Canada. The discussion was moderated by Kyle Matthews, MIGS' Executive Director. With the support of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Canada.  

MIGS, in collaboration with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Canada, hosted a X/Twitter Spaces discussion titled “Is Tiktok a Security Threat?” featuring Charles Burton (Senior Fellow, Sinopsis), Conor Healy (Director of Government Research, IPVM), and Chung Ching Kwong (Senior Analyst, IPAC). Tune in to this great episode.

What is war rhetoric? What is the effect of war rhetoric on democracy? And how can a closer examination of war rhetoric guide us towards a more peaceful future? In this episode, we spoke about war rhetoric and its effect on democracy with Professor Emeritus in English & American Studies, Robert L. Ivie (Indiana University), who has published countless academic articles and books on the topic. 

Ahead of the Montreal International Security Summit, MIGS hosted a Twitter/X Spaces discussion with French journalist Nicolas Quénel titled “Operations Doppelgänger ou les ressorts de la propagande russe”.  Please note that this interview is in French. -- En amont du Sommet de Montréal sur la sécurité internationale, le MIGS a organisé une discussion sur Twitter/X Spaces avec le journaliste français Nicolas Quénel intitulée « Opérations Doppelgänger ou les ressorts de la propagande russe ».  

As part of our series for the Digital Peace Project, this episode is a recording of a conversation with Guylaine Maroist, a Montréal-based filmmaker and producer who has tackled online hate speech and cyberviolence in her most recent documentary film project, "Backlash: Misogyny in the Digital Age". Guylaine joins the MIGS team to discuss her film and her new initiative: https://stopcyberviolences.ca

When Russia launched an unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Christopher Miller, the Ukraine correspondent for the Financial Times, was on the ground when the first missiles struck. Christopher's book "The War Came to Us" chronicles Ukraine's past, present, and future as well as its fight for freedom and independence. MIGS hosted Chris Miller on X (Twitter) Spaces to discuss his new book, his journey to Ukraine as a member of the Peace Corps, and his experience as a foreign correspondent during some of the country's most transformative events.   In the lead-up to the Montreal International Security Summit (11-12 October), organized in partnership with the Canadian Department of National Defence and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Canada, MIGS is hosting a series of Twitter Spaces discussions on the war in Ukraine. This is one of them.  

Cette session vise à comprendre les différentes formes violence auxquelles les communautés 2SLGBTQI font face et à discuter de solutions concrètes pour rendre les environnements en ligne plus équitables et plus sécuritaires pour ses membres. Intervenants: Mylène de Repentigny-Corbeil, Les 3 Sex*; Alexandre Chartrand, Département communication, Université Concordia; Moe Hamandi, Présidence de Fierté Montréal; Élodie Palluet, Vice-présidente, Fondation Émergence

This episode is a recording of a roundtable event organized as part of the Digital Peace Project Series. In this session, we discussed a few unique trends in online hate targeting religious communities, including the impact of conspiracy theories. Featuring: Wendy Via (Project Against Hate and Extremism),  Emmanuelle Amar (CIJA), Jennifer Tridgell (University of Essex), and Akaash Maharaj (Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption).

This episode is a recording of a roundtable event organized as part of the Digital Peace Project Series and aims to unpack Featuring: Catherine Martin (Millbrook Mi'kmaq First Nation Community), Dr. Suzanne Kite (Oglala Lakota) Bailey Oster, (Red River Settlement and St. Paul des Métis). Megan Tipler (Métis educator)

MIGS hosted  a Twitter Space discussion with Professor Kimberly Marten (Barnard College, Columbia University) on the recent failed mutiny of the Wagner Group in Russia. This is a recording of the discussion, which is part of MIGS' Ukraine Initiative supported by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Canada.

MIGS hosted a Twitter Spaces discussion on Germany's New Security Strategy and the War in Ukraine with Benjamin Tallis (German Council on Foreign Relations) and Ulrike Franke (European Council on Foreign Relations). This is a recording of the discussion, which is part of MIGS' Ukraine Initiative supported by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Canada.

Description: This episode is a recording of a roundtable event organized as part of the Digital Peace Project Series and aims to unpack violence against women online & discuss tangible solutions to making online environments more equitable. Feat.  Lucina Di Meco ( #ShePersisted ) Annabel Ashalley-Anthony (Melanin Gamers) Supriya Dwivedi (Centre for Media, Technology & Democracy), Bridget Todd (Podcast host 'There are No Girls on the Internet') and Catherine McKenna, (Climate & Nature Solutions).

This episode is a recording of a roundtable discussion as part of the Digital Peace Project series to mark the International Day for Countering Hate Speech. Fernand de Varennes (UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues), Naomi Kikoler (Director of the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum), Ronan Lee (Loughborough University London), and Alice Wairimu Nderitu (UN Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide) discuss the unique themes, drivers, and recommendations to address online hate targeted at racial and ethnic minorities.

Description: This episode is a recording of an event hosted by RIWI to discuss the results of the public perception survey MIGS conducted with RIWI's support as part of the Digital Peace Project. Sam Wollenberg (RIWI) and Lauren Salim (MIGS) discuss the results of the survey, where Canadians 16+ were asked about their definition of hate speech and preferences for content moderation.

How is the war in Ukraine changing to way we do Open Sources Intelligence (OSINT)? What are the ethical implications of OSINT? And what happens when AI erases evidence uncovered by OSINT, particularly on social media? MIGS hosted a Twitter Spaces conversation with Alexa Koenig (Co-Executive Director and Co-Faculty Director of the Human Rights Center, UC Berkeley) and Belkis Wille (Associate Director, Crisis and Conflict division, Human Rights Watch) The event was moderate by MIGS' Kyle Matthews and Liam Maloney.

In this episode, we delve into the 67th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67), where global representatives, entities, and ECOSOC-accredited NGOs converged in New York City. In this insightful conversation, Aimee Tymkin, a Canadian delegate and esteemed student-researcher based in Manitoba, talk to us about experience at CSW67. She sheds light on the pivotal topics of innovation, technological change, and education in the digital age and the dangers that come packaged with new technologies. Aimee shares her insights on cyber hatred and gender-based violence, particularly focusing on the youth experience.  

In April, Russia assumed the presidency of the UN Security Council, a body dedicated to peace and security, just as the Russian Federation is waging a war of aggression against Ukraine. In such circumstances, many people, including Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the U.N. Sergiy Kyslytsya, are questioning Russia's status of permanent member. Ukraine has also called for Russia's removal from the U.N., questioning the very legitimacy of its membership.  MIGS hosted a Twitter Spaces discussion Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations. This is recording of the discussion.

On February 23rd, 2022, reporter Tim Mak arrive in Kyiv to cover a possible war. The Russian invasion of Ukraine began that same night. After leaving NPR, Tim continued to report from Ukraine, providing regular updates about the war, uncovering war crimes but also writing about the daily lives of Ukrainians.  Our conversation with Tim took place on Twitter Spaces. Subscribe to Tim's Substack here to follow his work: https://counteroffensive.substack.com/about

Since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces have reportedly abducted thousands of Ukrainian children and attempted to deprive them of their Ukrainian identity. A report published in February 2023 by the Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale School of Public Health concluded that Russia's federal government has systematically reallocated at least 6,000 children from Ukraine to a network of re-education and adoption facilities in Crimea and Russia. In March, the ICC issued warrants for the arrest of Russian president Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, the presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights, for supervising the kidnapping of Ukrainian children for adoption and re-education in Russia. To discuss Russia's abduction of Ukrainian children, MIGS hosted a Twitter Spaces discussion with Nathaniel Raymond, the Executive Director of Yale School of Public Health's Humanitarian Research Lab, and Aliona Hlvico, Political analyst and Former Ukrainian MP. This is a recording of this discussion. Moderated by Marie Lamensch, MIGS' Coordinator of Program and Outreach 

On April 1st, the Russian Federation assumed the rotating presidency the United Nations Security Council. This came on the heels of the International Criminal Courts' decision to issue an arrest warrant against President Vladimir Putin over alleged war crimes committed by Russian troops in Ukraine. Described as “an April Fool's joke” by Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, the situation was condemned by a large number of diplomats, including by Canada's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Bob Rae. MIGS hosted  a Twitter Spaces discussion on Moscow's use of the presidency to spread disinformation about the war in Ukraine. Speaker: - Honourable Bob Rae, Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations.

In this episode, a Russian Montrealer explains why he decided to help Ukrainians in the war against his home country. In the meantime, his family in Moscow thinks he is brainwashed by Western media and refuses to believe that they may have been duped by Russia's disinformation campaign.   Episode 3 of a 3-part series produced in collaboration with Concordia's Department of Journalism.  Speaker: Dmitri Tcherkasski, a pro-Ukrainian supporter in Montreal originally from Moscow, Russia Sources: Aeon, Eurasianet, PublicO (MediaScope), Russian Field, Statista (Levada Center),StopFake.org, The New Yorker. Reporter: Bogdan Lytvynenko, Department of Journalism Producer: Aphrodite Salas, MIGS John Lemieux Faculty Fellow

In this episode, a Ukrainian college student shares her story of fleeing the city of Mariupol as Russian forces closed in. We reflect on the destruction of Mariupol and examine how disinformation has warped reality in the ensuing information war being waged by Russia. Episode 2 of a 3-part series produced in collaboration with Concordia's Department of Journalism.    Speakers: Alexandra Postoieva, journalism student at Mariupol State University Craig Silverman, disinformation expert and national reporter for ProPublica Sources: AP, BBC, Debunk.org, News of Donbas, ProPublica, Reuters, Statista (Levada Center), The Moscow Times   Reporter: Bogdan Lytvynenko, Department of Journalism Producer: Aphrodite Salas, MIGS John Lemieux Faculty Fellow

In this episode, we follow the tumultuous journey of a Ukrainian family who fled from the frontline city of Kharkiv to start a new life in Canada. After enduring bombings and terror amid the Russian invasion, we hear how one family was greeted with overwhelming support in Canada that made their 7,500-kilometre journey worthwhile.   Episode 1 of a 3-part series produced in collaboration with Concordia's Department of Journalism. Speaker:  Olena Martynova, Ukrainian newcomer under the CUAET program   To find out more about the help provided to Ukrainians in Montreal, visit Concordia's online magazine The City: http://thecitymag.concordia.ca/home-away-from-home-ukrainian-refugees-montreal/ Reporter: Bogdan Lytvynenko, Department of Journalism Producer: Aphrodite Salas, MIGS John Lemieux Faculty Fellow  

Dans cette discussion, Marianne Couture-Cossette et Marie Lamensch parlons de cyberviolences à caractère sexuel et basées sur le genre et de la manosphère, ainsi que de la mission de Les 3 Sex*. Marianne est vice-présidence et direction du volet sensibilisation chez Les 3 Sex*.     Cet épisode fait partie de notre projet sur la Paix Numérique soutenu par Patrimoin Canada. L'initiative a pour but de contribuer aux efforts nationaux visant à comprendre et à contrer la haine en ligne.

The Lachin corridor, the lifeline road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia, has been blocked by Azerbaijiani protesters since December 12. With supplies of food and medicine in the blockaded region running low, 120,000 Armenian residents find themselves in a precarious situation, leading UNICEF to issue a statement warning about the deteriorating humanitarian situation.   The blockade also risks scuppering the fragile peace process between the Republic of Armenia and Azerbaijan, which have fought two wars in the past three decades.    Speakers: - Elisa von Joeden-Forgey, Endowed Chair, Department of Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Keene State College, and  Co-founder of the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention. - Robert Avetissian, Representative of the Republic of Artsakh in the United States. - Gregory Stanton, Founding president and chairman of Genocide Watch.   This live discussion took place on Twitter Space and was moderated by Marie Lamensch, MIGS's Project Coordinator  

"Queering the Web": Examining Online Harms and Hate Speech Directed at 2SLGBTQIA+ Communities with Dr. Stefanie Duguay This episode features a conversation with Dr. Stefanie Duguay, assistant professor in Communication Studies and the Concordia University Research Chair in Digital intimacy, gender, andsexuality. How do queer people express identity in digital spaces? What are the challenges that they face when navigating online harms? Explore how queer people are navigating digital spaces, and learn more about Stefanie's research (https://digslab.net).   This podcast is part of the Digital Peace Project, an initiative supported by Heritage Canada that aims to analyze different forms of online hate.    

On the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine, join the Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies at Concordia University for a Twitter Spaces conversation on the resilience of Ukraine's civil society. Speakers:  - Oleksandra Povoroznyk, Kyiv-based translator and journalist  - Alina Bondarenko, communications professional in Washington DC and arising expert in Ukrainian cultural diplomacy - Anton Liagusha, dean of the Faculty of Social sciences and Humanities, Kyev School of Economics. Now Associate Professor, George Mason University. Specialist in Public History, media analysis, propaganda expert - Katerina Sviderska, MA student at the Université de Montréal - Moderator: Marie Lamensch, Project coordinator, MIGS  

During a Twitter Space, MIGS spoke with filmmaker Jawad Mir about his movie “Citizen of Moria”, which documents the plight of filmmaker Ahmad Brahimi. When his life comes under threat by the Taliban in Afghanistan, he leaves his family behind for survival and ends up in Europe's worst Refugee Detention Camp, Moria. Ahmad documents the difficult living conditions endured by the refugees and his attempt to build a life on the island of Lesbos, off the coast of Greece.  

Dr. Aylin Matlé on what the invasion of Ukraine means for Germany and NATO. Dr. Matlé has been a research fellow in the German Council on Foreign Relations' Security and Defense Program since March 2022. Previously, she worked as deputy head of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung's Israel office in Jerusalem. Prior to that, she was a research associate for the chair of international relations and European politics at the Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg. This is part of our Global Parliamentary Alliance Against Atrocity Crimes, a project supported by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Canada.

As part of MIGS' Global Parliamentary Alliance Against Atrocity Crimes, Project coordinator Marie Lamensch spoke to Dr. Aylin Matlé, research fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations Security, about what the invasion of Ukraine means for Germany and for NATO now and in the future. Dr. Matlé also talks about "Zeitenwende" and whether it really exists. Dr. Aylin Matlé has been a research fellow in DGAP's Security and Defense Program since March 2022. Previously, she worked as deputy head of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung's Israel office in Jerusalem. Prior to that, she was a research associate for the chair of international relations and European politics at the Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg.

As part of MIGS's Global Parliamentary Alliance Against Atrocity Crimes, Project coordinator Marie Lamensch spoke with Oleksandra Matviichuk, the head of the Center for Civil Liberties. Oleksandra talks about the organization's efforts to collect evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and why she hopes that their efforts will have an impact on the global justice system. The Center for Civil Liberties is the recipient of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize.

A Twitter Spaces conversation on the implications of Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter for the spread of disinformation, hate speech and other online harms. Speakers: - Dr. Emma L. Briant, British scholar and academic researcher on media, contemporary propaganda, surveillance and information warfare, and Visiting Research Associate in Human Rights, Bard College. - David Troy, researcher, technologist, and investor interested in hybrid warfare and threats to democracy, and Fellow at Future Frontlines at New America. - Peter MacLeod, co-founder and principal of Mass LBP, and leading expert in public engagement and deliberative democracy. - Yaqiu Wang, Senior China researcher at Human Rights Watch, working on issues including internet censorship, freedom of expression, protection of civil society and human rights defenders, and women's rights. - Prof. Taylor Owen, Beaverbrook Chair in Media, Ethic and Communications, and the founding director of the Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy at McGill University. The discussion is moderated by MIGS' Project Coordinator Marie Lamensch and Project Leader Lauren Salim. 

Where is the line between digital utopia and digital police state? In "Surveillance State: Inside China's Quest to Launch a New Era of Social Control", award-winning Wall Street Journal journalists Josh Chin and Liza Lin document with startling detail how the CCP is creating a political model that shapes the will of the people not through the ballot box but through the sophisticated harnessing of data. Josh Chin and Liza Lin joined MIGS to discuss their new book. The virtual event was moderated by Kyle Matthews.

This discussion is a recording of our Twitter Spaces with Nick Waters (Open Source Analyst, Bellingcat), Hannah Bagdasar (Investigator, Bellingcat), and Dearbhla Minogue (Legal Officer with the Global Legal Action Network). This is part of our Global Parliamentary Alliance Against Atrocity Crimes, a project supported by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Canada.  

This is a recording of MIGS Twitter Spaces discussion titled “Structural causes of atrocities in Ethiopia: Spotlight on the Amharas”, which featured Hone Mandefro (Director of Advocacy, Amhara Association of America) and Adem Abebe (Advisor in Peace Building, Constitution Building, Democracy, Elections and Governance). The chat was moderated by Kyle Matthews, MIGS' Executive Director.

In this episode, Ukrainian journalist Iryna Matviyishyn talks to us about hardships faced by civilians living in Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine, Russia filtration system, forced assimilation, and what the West should do to help Ukrainians. Iryna also talks about what is means to be a journalist in Ukraine today and how she tries to bring stories to Western audiences. This interview is part of our Global Parliamentary Alliance Against Atrocity Crimes, a project supported by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Canada.

Authoritarian governments leverage digital technologies to repress the rights and freedoms of their citizens at home, silence dissent among diasporas and other individuals beyond their borders, and to interfere in democratic governments, processes and institutions abroad.  As part of MIGS Digital Authoritarianism project supported by U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, we hosted a Twitter Spaces with Jessica Brandt, the author of MIGS' report "Digital Authoritarianism: Pathways, Trends, Solutions." This is a recording of our chat. This paper aims to increase understanding of the various pathways through which authoritarian regimes use digital tools to shore up their grip on power at home, weaken democratic governments and institutions that they perceive as threatening to their interests, undermine liberal norms related to privacy and free expression, and replace those norms with illiberal ones.  Jessica Brandt is policy director for the Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative at the Brookings Institution and a fellow in the Foreign Policy program's Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology. 

In this episode, we speak to Lesia Vasylenko, an Ukrainian Parliamentarian and human right lawyer. Vasylenko is also a member of the Ukrainian permanent delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. She tells us what it means to be a legislator during a war and why we must hold Russia accountable for crimes committed in Ukraine. This interview is part of our Global Parliamentary Alliance Against Atrocity Crimes, a project supported by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Canada.

In this episode, we speak to Belkis Wille, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, about ongoing war crimes and human rights violations committed by Russian forces in Ukraine. Belkis and her colleagues have interviewed hundreds of Ukrainians who have lost family members in attacks on cities across Ukraine. We also speak about filtration camps, forced disappearances, and Russia's efforts to alter the social and cultural fabric in areas now under Russian control. This interview is part of our Global Parliamentary Alliance Against Atrocity Crimes, a project supported by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Canada. Resources: "Russian Strike on Kharkiv is Ukrainian Family's Tragedy." - Human Rights Watch, August 16, 2022 "Ukraine: Torture, Disappearances in Occupied South." - Human Rights Watch, July 22, 2022