IBA podcast

Despite weeks of escalating tensions, the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces in the early hours of 24th February shocked the world. Just days earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced he was recognising the rebel-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states. Up to that point, a full-scale invasion had seemed almost inconceivable, but suddenly Europe was faced with its largest conflict since the Second World War. In this Global Insight podcast, we look at the background to the Ukraine crisis, Russia’s hybrid warfare campaign and the role of sanctions in fighting aggression and autocracy. Examining these issues are:  Olga Lautman, an expert in Russia, Ukraine and Eastern Europe and a Senior Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis. Bill Browder is CEO of Hermitage Capital Management and a long-time supporter of stronger sanctions against Russia. Daria Kaleniuk, executive director and co-founded of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre in Kyiv (AntAC) 

In this podcast, drawn from an interview at the IBA’s Global Showcase event in late 2021, Fawzia Koofi speaks about the devastating impact of the Taliban takeover, particularly on women’s rights and religious minorities. She also addresses the US withdrawal from the country and shares her views on the role of the international community in the crisis. Koofi is a prominent Afghan politician and activist, who was nominated in 2020 for the Nobel Peace Prize for her role in representing the Afghan government in negotiations with the Taliban and her work to uphold women’s rights in the country.  Formerly a member of the Afghan Parliament and the Vice-President of the National Assembly, she is now the leader of a newly established political party, Movement for Change for Afghanistan – and the first woman to lead a political party in the country.  The situation in Afghanistan remains volatile. As reports reveal up to 8 million people are facing starvation, Koofi’s hopes and fears for the country’s future are all t

The assault on the United States Capitol on 6 January 2021 represents perhaps the starkest manifestation of a US democracy in crisis. But the strains on democracy have been evident elsewhere - from a plethora of bills being put forward across state legislatures that critics warn undermine voting rights, to a series of controversies surrounding the make-up and even legitimacy of the US Supreme Court, itself a vital component of the US democratic apparatus.  Assessing the issues are: Sarah Turberville, Director of the Constitution Project at the Project on Government Oversight Sophia Lin Lakin, Deputy Director of the Voting Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union Professor Paul Smith, Professor From Practice at Georgetown Law and Vice President for Litigation and Strategy at the Campaign Legal Center Fred Davis, former Co-Chair of the IBA Business Crime Committee and a lecturer in Law at Columbia Law School

It is almost two decades since the International Criminal Court was established to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity. In this podcast, Global Insight speaks to the first two prosecutors – Luis Moreno Ocampo and Fatou Bensouda – and one of the ICC’s key special advisers – Leila Sadat – about the ongoing challenges facing the ICC and what lies ahead for the Court as its third prosecutor, Karim Khan, settles into the role.

COP26 in Glasgow aims to accelerate movement towards the targets set in the 2015 Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. With the Covid-19 pandemic delaying 2020’s talks and urgent action needed to address the climate crisis, the world will be watching closely - not only the immediate outcomes, but longer-term efforts made by states and the private sector.

In early 2021, a joint report from four criminal justice watchdogs found significant delays plaguing access to justice in England and Wales – with 54,000 unheard cases as of the beginning of the year. Some of these cases may not be heard until 2023 or even 2024.  As Dominic Raab becomes the eighth Justice Secretary in a decade, the challenge to address the record backlog and fix Britain’s broken justice system has never been more acute.  In this podcast, our speakers discuss the causes and impact of the backlog and the measures proposed to alleviate them, including reopening Crown courtrooms, expanding the Nightingale temporary court system until March 2022 and modifying 71 courtrooms to hold large, multi-hander trials.

The Duma elections in Russia in September 2021 will define the composition of Russia’s lower house of parliament for the next five years. They come at a testing time for the Pro-Putin ruling party Edinaya Rossiya, whose popularity has plummeted following the controversial decision to raise the state retirement age in 2018 and, more recently, its mishandling of the pandemic. In this IBA Global Insight podcast, we look at the continued efforts by the Russian authorities to suppress dissent and silence critics like Alexei Navalny and what these measures mean for the rule of law.

Over the past decade, the legal and judicial systems of some EU member states have frequently been at odds with the EU’s requirements of independence, impartiality and adherence to the rule of law.  Political appointments of judges and often spurious proceedings against them are among the issues causing tension, and Covid-19 has caused further aggravation. Despite employing various measures to effect change, the situation has not improved. So what can be done?

Around the world, attacks on journalists and the press are growing exponentially. In this podcast, Global Insight examines the challenges and why freedom of expression and the media is so fundamental to a transparent and progressive society.  

President Biden’s swift measures to put climate action back on the agenda for the United States at the start of his term show the impact elections can have. This podcast explores the international influence of the US and Chinese climate policies, the relationship between populism and climate inaction and the importance of global collaboration in tackling the climate crisis. 

China's ambition and growth over the past two decades has been well documented, but what lies ahead? This podcast explores shifts in China's economic model, trade and technology, and assesses the potential impact of human rights and other issues on the country's development.

The Chinese government stands accused of genocide against Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang province. China rejects the allegations. This podcast considers the measures the international community should be taking. 

Former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers on the US economic situation and how the Biden administration should approach the issues

The US presidential election in November presents an opportunity to take stock of the last four years and the Trump administration, which many agree has been characterised by a destructive approach to the international liberal order.   In this podcast, foreign affairs experts Charlene Barshefsky, John Bellinger and Richard Haass give their views on how the United States should reengage and rebuild in 2021.

In this podcast, Dr Margaret Ng, member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong between 1995 and 2012 and a founding member of the pro-democracy Basic Law Article 23 Concern Group, discusses the implications of the national security law recently enacted in Hong Kong by China, in conversation with IBA Multimedia Journalist Jennifer Venis.    The law has come under criticism for its draconian measures and a lack of consultation pre-implementation with the people of Hong Kong, and is widely seen as undermining the established concept of ‘one country, two systems’. #humanrights

Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, and Sara Elizabeth Dill, Arab Regional Forum Liaison Officer for the IBA War Crimes Committee, consider the issues and look at specific developments across the Middle East. #humanrights

States have taken drastic action to combat Covid-19. But there is clear potential for abuse of the situation and a detrimental effect on the rule of law, says Baroness Helena Kennedy. #humanrights

In the wake of the Weinstein trial, Global Insight assesses how legal and judicial systems continue to let down victims of sexual harassment and violence  #ustoo

Javaid Rehman, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, discusses his role and the difficulties involved, as well as recent protests in the country and the repressive response of the State #country

David Miliband speaks about migration, the climate crisis and the need for passion, as well as reason, in confronting populism #humanrights