Fall 2023 Human Rights Newsletter: Victory with Indigenous Families in Bolivia, Releases on Genocidal Campaign in Nagorno-Karabakh, and more
Fall 2023
In this edition:
Landmark Victory with Eight Indigenous Amaya Families in Bolivia
Release of Briefing Paper, Submissions to the UN, and Live Monitor on Ethnic Cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh
Human Rights Factfinding Simulation 2023
University Network joins International Justice Exchange to Germany
Applications Open: Wesleyan ACTS for Human Rights
Welcoming New Team Members
Landmark Victory with Eight Indigenous Aymara Families in Bolivia
After 16 years of litigation, eight Aymara families settled a landmark lawsuit against Bolivia’s ex-president & defense minister for their role in Bolivia’s “Black October” massacres. Legal & Policy Director Thomas Becker, who has served as lead attorney in this case, celebrated the historic victory with the families in Bolivia.
Background to the Case
In 2003, Bolivian state forces massacred indigenous protestors and community members, killing dozens and injuring hundreds, in what has become known as “Black October.” Following the killings, the former president of Bolivia, Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, and the former Minister of Defense, Carlos Sánchez Berzaín, fled to the United States. The case marks the first time a former head of state has faced his accusers in a US courtroom. The settlement preserves the verdict of a federal jury in Florida that found the two officials liable for the extrajudicial killings of the plaintiffs’ family members. The families will receive an undisclosed sum of compensation.
Click here for more information on this historic victory.
You can find coverage of the victory in the Washington Post, Democracy Now!, El País, The Guardian, and the Associated Press.
Release of Briefing Paper, Submissions to the UN, and Live Monitor on Ethnic Cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh
In the lead-up to and during Azerbaijan’s military offensive in the self-governed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) in late September, University Network researchers continued to document abuses and advocate for a robust international response to prevent impending ethnic slaughter.
During the Azerbaijan government’s attacks on Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), University Network researchers monitored, verified, and archived evidence of the steps towards ethnic cleansing as they unfolded on the webtool “Monitoring Ethnic Cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh.” The Monitor contains verified information tracking the final week of Azerbaijan's successful campaign to cleanse Nagorno-Karabakh of its ethnic Armenian population.
During this time, Legal & Policy Director Thomas Becker published an op-ed in Newsweek titled, “Armenians Face a Second Genocide. Will the World Intervene?”
Earlier in the month, on September 5, our team submitted “Risk of Ethnic Cleansing and Possible Genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh: Results from Applying the Framework for Analysis of Atrocity Crimes” to the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide. The submission, linked here, outlined the grave risk of ethnic cleansing and potential genocide that Armenians face from the government of Azerbaijan.
In a briefing paper published on August 24, 2023, the University Network for Human Rights (UNHR) argued that Azerbaijan's blockade of the Lachin Corridor was just the tip of the iceberg. The paper explained that during and following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War, Azerbaijan committed atrocities against ethnic Armenians that, taken together, amount to a policy of ethnic cleansing in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. These abuses include the extrajudicial killings of civilians, enforced disappearance and torture of Armenian prisoners of war, and forced displacement of border communities.
“There is no way to continue living in Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh]…They are violating human rights in every possible way, from every possible side.”
— A grandmother from the village of Khramort
Human Rights Factfinding Simulation 2023
Our Human Rights Factfinding Simulation took place at the end of October. This exercise remains a central component of our training for the next generation of advocates. Students from Wesleyan’s Human Rights Advocacy Minor and Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs interviewed nearly 50 actors trained to play villagers, government officials, police officers, translators, and rebels. Students conduct dozens of interviews over a two-day, intensive period to investigate a fictitious situation of human rights abuse. They then spend two more days developing human rights reports and engaging in simulated advocacy with UN and other international officials, as well as radio, television, and print journalists.
The scenario is meticulously designed by University Network supervisors based on decades of real-life experience in the field. Following the simulation, each student receives extensive, individualized feedback on their performance and suggestions for improvement for future factfinding work.
For academic analysis of our simulation, please click here.
University Network joins International Justice Exchange with Germany
The University Network joined the Human Rights Research Consortium, the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy (IMRP), and Connecticut Sentencing Commission leaders on an International Justice Exchange to Baden-Württemberg, Germany to study their criminal justice system.
This trip continues our work following “Connecticut at the Crossroads,” a white paper co-authored with the IMRP, focusing on COVID-19 and decarceration in our home state. We have filmed a short documentary following the Justice Exchange, and are co-authoring a forthcoming white paper on the state of criminal justice in Connecticut and lessons from comparative experiences and international human rights norms. We are also supporting a follow-up educational campaign with the members of the Justice Exchange that will focus on community care and restoration.
Applications Open: Wesleyan ACTS for Human Rights Program
The University Network for Human Rights is excited to announce that undergraduates across the country can now apply to the Advocacy & Community-based Training Semester (ACTS) Program created in partnership with Wesleyan University. This program is the first of its kind in the U.S. and the only intensive clinical human rights opportunity available to undergraduates.
The ACTS Program will train and engage undergraduate students in interdisciplinary human rights practice through classroom study, simulation training, and supervised work with communities standing up to injustice. Check out the details of the program below, and fill out the interest form today!
Meet our New Team Members
The University Network for Human Rights is thrilled to announce the latest additions to our team! As we continue to grow, we look forward to expanding our abilities to engage in movement-oriented human rights advocacy while training the next generation of human rights defenders.
Malene Allenye, Clinical Supervisor
Pooja Bhatia, Clinical Supervisor
Anoush Baghdassarian, Documentation & Advocacy Fellow
Emily Wilder, Researcher & Editor
José Ginoccio-Moraiz, Program Officer for the Americas
