Kenneth Roth, 69, led Human Rights Watch (HRW) for over 30 years. The American prosecutor, born in Illinois (to a Jewish father from Frankfurt who fled Nazi Germany), reworked the New York-based human rights group into an efficient stress group. With its studies and in-depth investigations, HRW has managed to sway governments and, together with different NGOs, obtained the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 for its contribution to the struggle in opposition to landmines. Roth’s autobiography, Righting Wrongs: Three Many years on the Entrance Strains Battling Abusive Governments, was revealed in February.
This interview has been edited for brevity.
How has HRW managed to ascertain leverage on autocracies detached to human rights?
Our focus is to place stress on the perpetrators and say: How can we make human rights violations extra pricey in order that they are going to diminish? Virtually each despot nonetheless pretends to respect human rights, as a result of it is a method of pretending that they care about their folks slightly than solely themself. When HRW can highlight the discrepancy between the pretense of respect for rights and the ugly actuality, it’s embarrassing. It de-legitimizes leaders earlier than their public. No chief, nevertheless autocratic, can maintain on to energy with out the approval of public opinion.
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