Winter is Here with Garry Kasparov and Uriel Epshtein

This morning, in a move that resulted from Russia's failures in Ukraine, Wagner forces under mercenary leader Yevgeny V. Prigozhin seized the city of Rostov-on-Don without firing a shot and began advancing towards Moscow. This represents a serious escalation of the long-simmering tensions between the Russian mercenary group and the official military authorities, but more importantly it finally puts to bed the lie that Putin is some kind of strategic mastermind. Prigozhin, with a few thousand men, was essentially able to defy the entire Russian government and move forward almost unopposed. A few hours later, it appears that Act I of this drama concluded with Prigozhin announcing that his forces were “turning around our columns and returning to field camps according to plan.” This isn't the end of this intra-Russian conflict, but merely an intermission. Reverberations from Prigozhin's rebellion will continue to be felt for weeks in both Russia and on the battlefield in Ukraine.Ultimately, the single greatest impact of this surprise turn of events is demonstrating to both Russian citizens and the world at large that the Emperor has no clothes. For all of Putin's posturing, he presides over a Potemkin village whose power—both military and otherwise—has clearly been overstated. Join RDI Chairman Garry Kasparov and RDI Executive Director Uriel Epshtein for a special episode to analyze what's been going on and stay tuned as events continue to unfold. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

Abdelrahman Elgendy's mother was against him going to the protest but he insisted he just wanted to watch. His father decided to go with him to keep him out of trouble. Then the unthinkable happened - both were arrested. Inside Prison Gendy, his dad and hundreds of other prisoners were subjected to inhumane treatment and living conditions and that is what sparks Gendy's passion for writing what he sees and experiences daily. “What happens to the untold stories, the ones that no one ever sees or hears?” He asks. Heart rending and awe inspiring, this humble young man's resilience will move you to want to do more. Spoiler alert - his eventual release is as unbelievable as his arrest - buckle up. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

As a young talented musician, Tsewang Norbu had everything going for him. He'd performed on the world's largest stages and his fans loved him. Like many Tibetans, he'd been forced to bottle up the pain and frustration of Chinese brutality towards Tibetans. In this shocking and inspiring interview, Pema Doma of the Students For A Free Tibet movement explains Tsewang Norbu's story and tells of the horrors experienced by her people and of the inspiring new generation of Tibetans who are uniting globally and rejuvenating the fight for freedom. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

China is attempting to erase the Uyghur people. They're not just taking over their their home land, they're systematically removing them from existence. In this shocking conversation, Zubyra Shamseden - a Uyghur and an escapee, walks us through what is being done to the Uyghur people to rub out their culture, their religion, their heritage and their genes. This human rights catastrophe must be known and fought by everyone. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

For participating in anti-government protests, the Syrian government arrested teenage children and tortured them by pulling out their fingernails. They packed oil barrels with shrapnel and explosives and dropped them from planes into streets crowded with innocent civilians. Using his old Nokia phone Aziz captured some of the most verifiable evidence of the mass murders by the Syrian government and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). They launched what has become known globally as Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS). Though Aziz escaped after many arrests and interrogations, many of the young people that told the world of the horrors in Syria did not make it out. Some are dead, others still in prison 10 years on and some live undercover in exile. This is the story of hope for freedom Syria. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

Growing up in the middle of a bloody civil war was Nicholas Opiyo's childhood. He remembers skipping over dead bodies on his way to school and his father being hunted by angry political mobs. Opiyo's inspirational story of becoming a firebrand human rights and democracy lawyer is marked with shocking moments of courage and despair in equal measures. Through it all however, he learns to turn pain into purpose as he takes on injustice and the brute force of a dictatorship that has had enough of him. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

With her husband arrested for his work in civil society and as opposition leader, Berta Valle the news anchor had to suddenly take on a massive challenge - to free not only her husband but all political prisoners. Berta's fight for her husband and that of many other political prisoners renewed my sense of hope for the lone fighters of freedom who many times seem destined for defeat. Berta tells a very special story as the episode comes to an end, you want to experience it - truly special. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

In our final podcast of 2022, we're going to take a bit of a different look at the global fight between tyranny and democracy by focusing on our internal struggle. The health of American democracy is critical to the global fight for freedom. As America, so the world. With this in mind, I wanted to dive into the conversation around the January 6th report and get a sense of how we got here and the impact the committee will have as Republicans get ready to take the House. Former Senator Heidi Heitkamp and former US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara join me for this special episode of Winter is Here. We discuss the findings of the committee's final report, the distinctions between free speech, political speech, and criminal culpability, Trump's path to an indictment, and what it all means for the future of American democracy.Heitkamp served as North Dakota's Attorney General from 1992 to 2000, and as a US Senator from 2013 to 2019. She currently serves on the boards of the McCain Institute, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, and the German Marshall Fund. Recently, Heitkamp was named director of the University of Chicago's Institute of World Politics. She is also a frequent contributor to politics and public affairs for ABC News and CNBC.  Preet was the former US Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 2009 to 2017. As US Attorney, he oversaw the investigation and litigation of all criminal and civil cases brought on behalf of the United States in the Southern District of New York. Currently, he is a partner at the law firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

Escaping North Korea is a mission that many thousands of North Koreans have not accomplished. Some were killed on capture and others die in hard labour prisons. Joseph is orphaned at a young age when his father dies of hunger before his eyes. His mother and sister take off to look for work and Joseph never sees of hears from them again. The 12-year old begins a perilous journey that leads him through deep pain and suffering yet he still found his real mission - Silently fighting for those oppressed by tyranny.This is our last episode as we go into the Christmas break. Thank you for listening to the Frontlines of Freedom podcast in 2022. We hope that the coming year will be one of finding true meaningfulness in the things you do for yourself and for others. We will be back with the first episode 0f 2023 on Monday January 9th. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

Today's episode is one that I was very excited about, but before I get into it, I want to offer a quick update on my recent trip to Berlin. Jeff Gedmin and I were joined by a few journalists as well as a number of Ukrainian, German, and Polish thought leaders to see how the West could come together to join forces in support of Ukraine. This is just the beginning of a series of dialogues RDI will host in coordination with American Purpose. We'll keep you apprised of how these conversations go and what they will produce. And now, onto the episode! I'm joined by Fiona Hill for a conversation on how Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's psychology informs his decision making in the war in Ukraine, and how it may inform the decision making of dictators everywhere. We discuss Putin's calculated choice to escalate the war in Ukraine, the many ways Putin could lose control over Russia, Putin's connection to Zelensky and Trump, the possibility of nuclear war, and the necessity of maintaining a united front against Russian aggression.Fiona was the deputy assistant to the president and senior director for European and Russian affairs on the National Security Council from 2017 to 2019. She served as a national intelligence officer for Russia and Eurasia at the National Intelligence Council from 2006 to 2009. Prior to that, she held numerous positions at the Eurasia Foundation in Washington, D.C. and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. Fiona is currently a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center on the United States and Europe and has written extensively on Russian history, Vladimir Putin, and geopolitics. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

I'm joined by Larry Diamond for a conversation on how our social media ecosystem amplifies extremist movements and empowers authoritarian regimes such as China, Iran and Russia. We discuss how our democracy at home relates to the fight for freedom abroad, the perverse incentives of today's social media ecosystem, Twitter's fate, and how Russia's war against Ukraine relates to Taiwan.Larry Diamond is one of the foremost experts on the study of democracy. He is a Senior Fellow in Global Democracy at Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. Larry is also a Senior Fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution, where he leads its programs on China's Global Sharp Power and on Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific Region. He is the co-founding editor of the Journal on Democracy and the author of numerous books, the most recent being "China's Influence and American Interests: Promoting Constructive Vigilance." This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

She is fueling the people's revolution! Masih Alinejad is fulfilling the promise she made to the mothers of murdered and jailed protestors who have stood up to the brutal Iranian regime. As hundreds of thousands take to the streets to demand the dictatorship's end, Masih (despite an attempt to assassinate her in Brooklyn, New York) and the millions of women she has inspired have become the backbone of this revolution. Listen to an inspiring revisit of the story of Masih Alinejad's bravery as an exiled journalist and women's rights activist. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

As Iran enters its fourth week of protests, Roya Hakakian joins Uriel Epshtein for a conversation on Iran and its place in the global battle between tyranny and freedom. They discuss the murder of Mahsa Amini, the irrationality of Iran's morality police, and how the situations in Ukraine and Iran are connected. Roya Hakakian is a writer, journalist, poet, and political activist. She was a founding member of the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center and is a permanent member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Roya has served on the board of Refugees International, a non-profit dedicated to human rights and the relocation of refugees, and as a fellow at the Whitney Humanities Center at Yale University. Her writing appears in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and NPR's All Things Considered.The Winter is Here podcast and the newsletter The Democracy Brief will be running on alternating Thursdays. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson was based in Cambodia as a foreign English teacher. Every time he rode out on his bike through the lush forests of Cambodia he noticed the disaster that was slowly but surely unfolding. He decided to speak out and his actions sparked the birth of Mother Nature Cambodia, an organization that today mobilizes citizens to stop environmental degradation and human rights abuses. His narration of both the price they have paid for this work and the success they have had is awe inspiring. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

Jeffrey Gedmin joins Uriel Epshtein for a special conversation from Berlin, Germany. They have spent the week meeting with German lawmakers to make the case that Germany could be doing more to support Ukraine's fight for freedom. In this conversation, they discuss whether German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's commitment to fight authoritarianism will be backed up with concrete policy or if Germany's backlash to the Russian invasion of Ukraine is just talk.Jeffrey Gedmin is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the magazine American Purpose. He is the former CEO of Radio Free Europe and previously ran the Legatum Institute in London and the Aspen Institute in Berlin. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

Evan Mawarire fled Zimbabwe in July 2016 after leading mass protests against the mis-governance of the Mugabe dictatorship. Thousands had spontaneously turned up at his court hearing demanding his release. Now after six months in exile Evan returned and was met with an immediate arrest at the airport. In this episode of Frontlines of Freedom Evan narrates how an encounter he could never have predicted changed everything. Listen as he draws us into taking on challenges that are imbedded with unexpected moments of strength and encouragement. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

“In a dictatorship everyone has a number, the only difference is when that number will come up.” This is how David Smolansky describes the life of people who live under authoritarian regimes. When David became the mayor of El Hatillo in Caracas Venezuela, he didn’t expect that he’d have to bury hundreds of young people in the city cemetery who’d been shot by his country’s own military. What he did understand however, is that when your number comes up and it’s your turn to face persecution, you engage in the most important activity - you gather people and give them vision. David’s story is both stirring and endearing. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

In this special episode of Winter is Here, Uriel and Garry take a step back to look at how we got here and how we can avoid the mistakes of the past. We highlight the importance of signaling mechanisms on the global stage, whether we can have an impact on Russian public support for the war, and how the Free World can deter Putin and other dictators moving forward. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

Rios de Pie (Standing Rivers) is a citizen action movement that was started by four young friends in the nation of Bolivia. Torn by the environmental degradation of the Amazon forest by their own government, they come together to figure out what to do about it. The strategies they decided upon were unusual but they resonated and even ended up protesting (sometimes in funny and creative ways) the destruction of democracy too. Jhanisse and her friends show us that there comes a time when we just gotta step up and do what needs to be done. Definitely a David and Goliath story. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

Uriel and Peter discuss the information war over Ukraine, how Putin’s propaganda shapes Russian public opinion, and how we can create a freedom-first narrative capable of overcoming Putin’s (and other would-be authoritarians’) “firehose of falsehoods.” Peter Pomerantsev is a Senior Fellow at the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University and at the London School of Economics. He is a noted expert on combating disinformation and the author of This is Not Propaganda: Adventures in The War Against Reality and Nothing is True and Everything is Possible. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

In the last nine episodes we heard incredible accounts and experiences of struggles for freedom and democracy from across the world. We had the unique opportunity to be told things that these amazing people do not normally speak about. Through their narratives we re-lived their most fond moments of big and small victories and enjoyed the warmth of their undying hope. We go back into the rich tapestry of the experiences that our friends encountered and the things we learned for our own lives. Watch out for season two were we meet more inspiring humans whose stories invite us to defend humanity on our own frontlines of freedom. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

Whilst In the second trimester of her pregnancy, a woman is detained and kept in a soviet style gulag. Her husband is sent to a brutal labor camp. She gives birth to a son in captivity whose first encounter with life is imprisonment for the ‘crime’ of being born a Uyghur - like his father. Nury Turkel grows up with a deep sense of seeking freedom and justice for his people and that becomes a compass whose direction he could not ignore. Listening to Nury one can't help but be drawn by his resolve and determination to stop running and fight for himself, his family and millions of people whom he will never meet. You’ll be pleasantly surprised how Nury offers his horrific story as a solid framework for you and i to keep standing when it’s all but easier to just give up. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

We discuss what inspiration we can draw from Ukraine’s fight for its survival and what we can learn from Abraham Lincoln about defending liberalism as we square off against political extremism.John Avlon is a Senior Political Analyst and anchor at CNN and the former editor-in-chief and managing director of The Daily Beast from 2013 to 2018. He is also the author of several books including, most recently, Lincoln and the Fight for Peace. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

In 2001 a large group of refugee teenagers is rescued from the horrendous war between Sudan and the freedom seeking South Sudan. Many of them now orphaned, had started life as six year old child soldiers who had normalized burying their age mates - dead from starvation, disease and sometimes combat. Peter was keen as a young man to see a free Sudan, but besides knowing how to shoot a gun and communist political ideology indoctrination he possesses little else. The rescue brings the children to the United States where they each begin new lives. Peter Biar Ajak’s remarkable journey of  transformation is enthralling. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

Uriel and President Toomas Hendrik Ilves discuss cybersecurity, what the Free World can learn from Estonia, and whether one can enjoy Russian culture even as the specter of Russian authoritarianism looms over Europe. After a career as a diplomat and journalist, Ilves led Estonia’s Social Democratic Party in the 1990s, before serving as Foreign Minister from 1996 to 1998 and again from 1999 to 2002. He was a member of the European Parliament from 2004-2006 and served as President for two terms from 2006 to 2016. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

As the Chinese military opened fire on the peaceful protestors in Tiananmen Square on June 4th 1989, thousands died and many were arrested. On the government’s published list of twenty one identified organizers, Zhou Fengsuo was named as the fifth most wanted person. Following his arrest, he was kept in a prison and handcuffed day and night for three months before being locked away for one year under extremely harsh conditions. For Zhou Fengsuo this was not the end. Despite the horrible encounters he has pursued his dream with hope and one might even say a dose of cunningness. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

This week, in a special edition of Winter is Here, Uriel Epshtein moderates a panel on the state of the NATO alliance, how far members should go to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia, and what its role will be to counter authoritarianism in the future. Former US Secretary of Defense General James Mattis and French Admiral Edouard Guiallaud joined Uriel at the Tocqueville Conversations in Normandy, France, co-hosted by The Tocqueville Foundation, Le Figaro and The Atlantic Council.Gen. James Mattis is a retired four-star general, having served for over forty years in the U.S. Marine Corps. After serving as the commander of all U.S. forces in Central Command, he retired from the Corps and was the Davies Family Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, before serving as the U.S. Secretary of Defense from 2017 to 2019 under President Trump.Adm. Edouard Guillaud has served as captain of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle from 1999 to 2001; and as the Chief of the Military Staff under President Nicholas Sarkozy from 2007 to 2010. He has been a close aide to 3 Presidents, 4 Prime Ministers, & 5 Ministers of Defense and has commanded French forces in Libya and Mali, before leaving active duty in 2014. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

Few people understand how much bravery it took Cassidy Hutchinson to testify better than Lt. Col. Alex Vindman, who sacrificed his own military career to come forward after Trump tried to blackmail Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. Now, Alex rejoins Winter is Here to discuss what gives people the bravery to come forward, what might come out of January 6th, and how this all relates to Putin's horrific invasion of Ukraine. Lieutenant Colonel Alexander S. Vindman (Retired) was most recently the director for Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Russia on the White House’s National Security Council. His book “Here, Right Matters” (HarperCollins) was published in 2021. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

When the Khmer Rouge (Communist Party of Kampuchea led regime) decreed a complete reset of the nation of Cambodia, everyone who was deemed educated was killed in a brutal genocide. Mu Sochua survived because her parents sent her out of the country - that was the last time she saw them. After 20 years in exile and with her own daughters in tow, Mu Sochua went back to face the killers of her parents, to find justice and bring closure. What she finds and embarks on however, is a whole new mission with highs and lows that deplete and fulfill one's strength in equal measures. We talk about her regrets, her legacy and her hope that defiantly remains - even after recently being sentenced to 36 years in prison in absentia. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

After serving as one of the most celebrated mayors in the city of Caracas in Venezuela, Leopoldo Lopez begins to demand a better form of national governance from the presidency of Nicolas Maduro. Inevitably Leopoldo finds himself arrested and due to his popularity, he is held in solitary confinement in a military prison for four and half years. What do you do when faced with a debilitating loneliness? For Leopoldo the story has tough moments, extreme, measures and surprising turns. Spoiler alert - a heart warming plot twist awaits… This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

In this week’s episode of Winter is Here, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp joins Uriel Epshtein to discuss the urban-rural divide and the impact it has on democracy in the US and around the world. Heidi Heitkamp is a former Democratic senator from North Dakota who served from 2013 to 2019. She is the president of the Renew Democracy Initiative’s board, and the founder and Chair of the One Country Project, an organization focused on addressing the needs and concerns of rural America. She is a contributor to CNBC. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

What does it take to defy Chinese autocracy? It takes a 14-year old who refuses to accept the subjugation of his people. Sunny Cheung was an ordinary Hong Kong high schooler when he first stepped up to defy the Chinese Communist Party. That decision led him on a journey that has become his life mission. We talk about devoting one’s life to a cause and what led him to step up. Listen in as we hear what he experienced and what his hopes for Hong Kong and freedom is. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

Next to the word ‘Relentless’ in the dictionary should be Masi Alinejad’s picture – the Iranian Woman who has championed daring campaigns and protests against oppression of women by the Islamic republic of Iran. As a young girl Masi refused to accept that it is illegal for women to ride bikes, sing in public or swim in the river. One day her mother taught her something that changed not just her life but that of women in Iran and around the world. Masi and i share the moments that have broken her heart and the ones that have given her the passion to keep going. You wont regret listening to her.A quick note that our regular Winter Is Here podcast with Gary Kasparov and Uriel Epshtein will resume next week. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

In this week’s episode of Winter is Here, Bill Kristol joins Garry Kasparov and Uriel Epshtein to discuss how Putin’s war in Ukraine, Trump’s impeachment, and the January 6th hearings are connected and what we can do to get people to care about defending freedom domestically and internationally. Bill Kristol served as Chief of Staff for Vice President Dan Quayle and led the Project for the Republican Future, where he helped shaped the strategy that produced the 1994 Republican Congressional victory. In 1995 he founded The Weekly Standard, which became one of the foremost magazines in conservative intellectual thought. He is the founder of Defending Democracy Together. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

If you remember the Rwandan genocide of 1994, you will want to listen to this awe inspiring conversation. I talk with Carine Kanimba, the daughter of Paul Rusesabagina, the Hotel Rwanda hero who saved thousands of people by hiding them in the hotel where he worked. Bizarrely, Rusesabagina is today tortured and unjustly imprisoned in Rwanda. Carine and her family have launched a spirited campaign to free their father.A QUICK NOTE FOR OUR LISTENERS - We will be releasing this podcast every Monday beginning on Monday 20th June. Thank you for subscribing. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

We’re excited to launch Frontlines of Freedom, RDI’s newest podcast, hosted by Pastor Evan Mawarire, our Director of Education.Pastor Evan Mawarire is a Zimbabwean democracy activist who led the This Flag protest movement, mobilizing millions and ultimately contributing to the fall of Robert Mugabe’s regime. Mawarire survived imprisonment and torture at the hands of the dictatorship, and was forced to flee Zimbabwe. Now located in the US, Mawarire will bring on a new guest each week to talk about their experiences leading a struggle for freedom against an autocratic government. Through guests’ real-life encounters, the conversations accentuate themes of hope, courage, resilience, strength, and the resolve of everyday people who believe that they have the power to overcome oppression. It is a first-of-its-kind show hosted by a political dissident and welcoming on other political dissidents as guests.For this first episode, Mawarire speaks with Nigerian musician and activist Catherine Udeh, also known as DJ Switch. DJ Switch was involved in the End SARS protest movement, a campaign to have the Nigerian government dissolve the Special Anti-Robbery Squad which is notorious for its brutality and disregard for the law. During a protest in October of 2020, Nigerian soldiers opened fire on protesters by the Lekki toll gate in Lagos, killing more than a dozen people. Rather than flee, DJ Switch live streamed the aftermath of the shooting, providing critical evidence of the government’s involvement as it denied culpability. Afterward, she was targeted by the government and threatened for whistleblowing.In their conversation, Mawarire and DJ Switch discuss the value of building and living in a free society and the responsibility we each have to protect it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

Before beginning to describe this week’s episode, I’d like to announce that the Winter is Here podcast and James’ Democracy brief will go on a 2-week hiatus from May 23rd until June 6th as we will be joining my co-host Garry for the Oslo Freedom Forum in Norway and other promising meetings in Europe. However, while we’re gone, you can listen to RDI’s Director of Education, Pastor Evan Mawarire, in his Frontlines of Freedom podcast. Where Winter is Here is more of an analysis of different strategies in the global war between tyranny & democracy, Evan’s podcast is more about individual stories of inspiration and resilience. He’ll be speaking with dissidents who have found the courage to overcome incredible hardship in a way that should offer us hope for our own lives – whether we’re fighting for justice or just fighting to put food on the table. While we are still tinkering with our release schedule, for the next two weeks, Evan’s podcast will be released on Fridays. Now, on to our main event… Ruth Ben-Ghiat is the Professor of History and Italian Studies at New York University. She is an MSNBC Opinion Columnist and commentator on CNN, MSNBC, and other media outlets about authoritarianism and threats to democracy around the world.Her latest book, Strongmen: From Mussolini to the Present examines how illiberal leaders use corruption, violence, propaganda, and machismo to stay in power, and how resistance to them has unfolded over a century. She joined me to discuss how anti-globalist populists are frequently the most globalist leaders of all, how we can prevent dirty money from corrupting the free world, and why tyrants like Putin actually need to be humiliated in order to be stopped. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

Bret Stephens is a New York columnist. He won a Pulitzer Prize for commentary at The Wall Street Journal in 2013, was previously editor in chief of The Jerusalem Post, and is known for his sharp, contrarian takes. He is the author of America in Retreat: The New Isolationism and the Coming Global Disorder" (2014). He joins Uriel to offer his take on why the Free World is actually in a strong position to reverse the tide of authoritarianism, why democratic pessimism might be a good thing, and how to make sure that self-reflection doesn’t become self-flagellation. Thanks for listening! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

Timothy Snyder is a professor of history at Yale University and a permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna. One of the most prominent historians of Eastern Europe, he speaks five and reads ten European languages. His many books, including Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin (2010), On Tyranny (2017), and The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America (2018) are highly influential in Eastern European history and understanding our democratic crisis. He joins Uriel and Garry to discuss the historical trends that led to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, why history is NOT destiny, and the role that history (or mythology) can play in our decision-making. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

Laure Mandeville is a senior reporter at the center-right Le Figaro, the largest national French newspaper where she hosts a weekly page on intellectual debates around the world and has served as the bureau chief in Moscow and Washington. She is also the founder of the Tocqueville Conversations on the future of democracy and has recently published a new book – Les révoltés d’occident – The insurgents of the West from Trump to Zemmour. She joins RDI’s Executive Director Uriel Epshtein to discuss what France’s presidential election & the preceding campaign entails for its role in the world moving forward, how Putin’s war against Ukraine changed the dynamics of the race, and how the French view Americans (hint: not always so well). Join us for a fascinating conversation and subscribe at www.rdi.org or by clicking the button below. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renewdemocracy.substack.com

Tom Tugendhat is a member of the British Parliament and the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee. He is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial army and has served in Iraq and Afghanistan in addition to having been the principal advisor to the Chief of the Defense Staff (IE: the Professional Head of the British Armed Services). Listen to Tom, Garry Kasparov, and Uriel Epshtein discuss how the war in Ukraine is evolving, what countries are supporting Russia, what victory could look like, and how we can achieve it. Thanks for listening to Winter is Here! Subscribe today. Subscribe at renewdemocracy.substack.com

Pastor Evan Mawarire is the founder of the #ThisFlag Citizen Movement in Zimbabwe, which brought millions of people onto the streets to confront corruption, injustice, and poverty, and was ultimately instrumental in unseating Robert Mugabe. In 2016, Evan was named the African of the year by the Daily Maverick newspaper of South Africa and one of the 100 top global thinkers of 2016 by Foreign Policy Magazine. Unfortunately, since then, Evan has had to leave Zimbabwe for his own safety, but has served as a fellow at Stanford’s Centre for Democracy Development & Rule of Law and was a 2020 Yale university World Fellow. Currently he is a fellow with the National Endowment for Democracy and RDI’s inaugural Director of Education. Join us as we discuss how to maintain resilience in the face of overwhelming odds, what dissidents can teach those of us in the Free World about democracy, and how we can unite to combat the forces of authoritarianism worldwide. Subscribe at renewdemocracy.substack.com

Leopoldo Lopez is one of the most prominent Venezuelan opposition leaders. For openly challenging dictators like Chávez and Maduro, he was sentenced to 13 years in prison. He famously turned himself in and ended up spending 3 years in a military prison, and 2 under house arrest. During the 2019 uprising against Maduro’s regime, Lopez escaped house arrest and sought refuge in the Spanish Embassy, where he remained for over a year. In 2020, he escaped from Venezuela in disguise over the border into Colombia.He joins Uriel Epshtein to discuss how he developed the resilience to survive 3 years of solitary confinement, what inspires him about American democracy, and why the Venezuelan opposition chose to hang the Ukrainian flag outside of the Venezuelan Embassy in D.C. Our conversation hinges on why all the sacrifices he has made in his now-global fight against dictatorship are worth it. Subscribe at renewdemocracy.substack.com

Bill Browder is the founder and CEO of Hermitage Capital Management, which was the investment adviser to the largest foreign investment fund in Russia until 2005, when Bill was denied entry to the country and declared a “threat to national security” as a result of his battle against corporate corruption. His colleague, tax lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, was detained and murdered by Putin’s regime in 2009 for uncovering state corruption. In 2012, Browder successfully lobbied the US Congress to pass the Magnitsky Act, a bipartisan bill to punish those in Russia responsible for Magnitsky’s death. Bill is the author of the New York Times bestseller Red Notice, and the upcoming book Freezing Order, available April 12th. This week he joins Garry Kasparov and Uriel Epshtein for a discussion on corruption in Russia, how sanctions can weaken Putin along with his propaganda and war machines, and what it would take to make sanctions effective. Subscribe at renewdemocracy.substack.com

Subscribe at renewdemocracy.substack.com

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On this episode of Winter is Here, we welcome former poker world champion and decision scientist Annie Duke. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has all of us wondering how you can make good decisions when the stakes are astronomical. We dive into the psychology of decision making with lessons that apply as much to daily life as to geopolitics. And with a poker world champion and chess grandmaster on the podcast, we had to ask—is Putin playing poker or chess?Also released today is this week’s Democracy Brief on the unlikely coalition forming to blame the United States for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Read the full piece here.Last, we want to offer you a final reminder to sign up for our Briefing with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba happening live Tomorrow at 11am ET! Foreign Minister Kuleba will almost certainly be joined by soldiers who can offer testimony directly from the frontlines. Also on the panel will be Garry Kasparov, Alexander Vindman, Céline Boustani, and Uriel Epshtein. Please sign up here for this truly unique opportunity. Subscribe at renewdemocracy.substack.com

We’re bringing you a special episode of Winter is Here this week where Uriel speaks with Ukrainian Colonel Oleksandr Gain out of Kyiv. Colonel Gain offers a more personal take on Russia’s invasion of his country and insight on Ukraine’s response based on his 20+ years in the Ukrainian military. As this conflict rages on, RDI is committed to bringing you voices from the front and working to galvanize the Free World to come to the defense of democracy. Consider donating to RDI here. Subscribe at renewdemocracy.substack.com

Listen now (44 min) | Welcome to the Democracy Brief, the home of RDI's new podcast, political insights, and contributions from leading voices in the democratic world Subscribe at renewdemocracy.substack.com