Human Rights Icon Kenneth Roth Joins Activist Lawyer Podcast: ‘Righting Wrongs’ and the Global Fight for Justice

3^rd July 2025

New York / Newry –  In this latest episode of the Activist Lawyer podcast, host Sarah Henry welcomes Kenneth Roth, former long-serving Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, for an in-depth discussion on his remarkable career in global human rights advocacy and his new book, Righting Wrongs: Three Decades on the Front Lines Battling Abusive Governments.

Speaking from his home in New York, Roth reflects on over 30 years of confronting authoritarian regimes, defending the rule of law during the Trump era, and navigating the complex landscape of international institutions. With characteristic candour, he also addresses challenges facing academic freedom, the evolving role of technology in advocacy, and the ethical pitfalls of donor-driven censorship.

Roth offers critical insights into the human rights landscape today, observing that despite global unrest and repression, “people are rising up to challenge repressive governments… even in those cases where the repression prevails, for the time being, it's clear what the people want.” He continues, “when governments are surviving simply by the barrel of a gun, that's a tenuous position to be in... the idea that people should have the right to express themselves, as well as the right to basic necessities, whether it's food or healthcare or housing, these are broadly sought by the people of the world. And that gives me hope because that is the foundation on which the movement moves forward.”

Roth also shares practical advice for aspiring human rights advocates and reflects on the digital age’s dual-edge impact on activism: while communications technology brings challenges, it also means we can “quickly learn about things today and try to influence them tomorrow.”

The conversation delves into Roth’s own experiences with backlash, including over his criticisms of Israeli policies, and his thoughts on external influences silencing critical academic voices.

This compelling episode offers listeners a rare opportunity to hear from one of the world’s most respected and experienced voices in human rights!

Listen to the full episode of Activist Lawyer featuring Kenneth Roth here.

Kenneth Roth

More about Kenneth Roth and his latest book 'Righting Wrongs' - Three Decades on the Front Lines Battling Abusive Governments:

Kenneth Roth is the former executive director of Human Rights Watch. He has extensively investigated human rights abuses around the world, focusing especially on the world’s most dire situations, the pursuit of international justice, the major powers’ foreign policies, the work of the United Nations, and the global contest between democracy and autocracy. He has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New York Review of Books, The Guardian, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and other major publications. He spends his time between New York and Geneva.

In three decades under the leadership of Kenneth Roth, Human Rights Watch conducted investigations in 100 countries to uncover abuses – and pressured offending governments to stop them. Roth has grappled with the worst of humanity, taken on the most ruthless oppressors of our time, and persuaded leaders from around the globe to stand up to their repressive counterparts. The son of a Jew who fled Nazi Germany just before the war began, Roth grew up knowing full well how inhumane governments could be. He has travelled the world to meet cruelty and injustice on its home turf: he arrived in Rwanda shortly after the genocide; scrutinized the impact of Saddam’s invasion of Kuwait; investigated and condemned Israel’s mistreatment of Palestinians. He directed efforts to curtail the Chinese government’s persecution of Uyghur Muslims, to bring Myanmar’s officials to justice after the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims, to halt Russian war crimes in Ukraine, even to rein in the U.S. government. Roth’s many innovations and strategies included the deployment of a concept as old as mankind – the powerful tool of ‘shaming’ – and here he illustrates its surprising effectiveness against evildoers. This is a story of wins, losses, and ongoing battles in the ceaseless fight for a more decent world.