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Newsletter - August 2023

August 29, 2023

Source: MIGS

Announcements

MIGS Program and Outreach Coordinator Marie Lamensch contributed to the French version of #ShePersisted’s new report titled “D’un catalyseur pour la liberté à un outil de répression”, which focuses on gendered disinformation against female politicians in Tunisia.

MIGS published audio versions of its Digital Peace Project roundtable discussions. “Countering Online Hate Towards Indigenous Peoples”, featuring Catherine Martin (Millbrook Mi’kmaq First Nation Community), Dr. Suzanne Kite (Oglala Lakota) Bailey Oster, (Red River Settlement and St. Paul des Métis). Megan Tipler (Métis educator). and “Tackling Online Hate Against Religious Minorities”, featuring Wendy Via (Project Against Hate and Extremism), Emmanuelle Amar (CIJA), Jennifer Tridgell (University of Essex), and Akaash Maharaj (Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption). These episodes are available on Spotify and Apple podcast.

MIGS John Lemieux Faculty Fellow Aphrodite Salas attended and was a guest speaker at the 7th annual Thessaloniki International Summer Media Academy, where she spoke about global media and the value of collaborative journalism, and received a certificate for her outstanding contribution to the safety for journalists training school. Aphrodite was accompanied by a few of her Concordia journalism students.

Advocacy

July 10

MIGS and more than sixty human rights groups, scholars, lawyers’ associations, and activists signed a statement calling for global attention to the Chinese government’s crackdown against human rights lawyers. You can read the full statement here.

July 20

Kyle Matthews and MIGS co-founder Frank Chalk signed a joint letter addressed to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, to save the life of Iranian boxing champion Mohammad Javad Vafa’i Thani, who is facing imminent execution for taking part in the anti-government protests in Iran.

Upcoming Events

6 September

Kyle Matthews will speak at the Commission for Environmental Cooperation about “Unleashing the Power of AI for Human Rights and Environmental Preservation”.

11 September

MIGS will host Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian, author and China reporter at Axios, to discuss disinformation, foreign interference and her latest book “Beijing Rules: How China Weaponized Its Economy to Confront the World”. You can register here.

17-21 September

Kyle Matthews will travel to New York to participate in the UN General Assembly and meet with partners.

11-12 October

MIGS will host the inaugural Montreal International Security Summit on 11-12 October. The event will focus on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the war’s impact on global security and human rights. Partners include the Canadian Department of National Defence, the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Canada, the European Council on Foreign Relations, the MacDonald-Laurier Institute and the Canadian International Council. For more information, please contact migs@concordia.ca

Recent Events

July 5

MIGS hosted a Twitter Space discussion titled “The Wagner Group Mutiny Explained” with Professor Kimberly Marten (Barnard College, Columbia University). You can listen to the recording on Apple Podcast or Spotify.

July 10

MIGS Distinguished Senior Fellow Liet. Gen Romeo Dallaire was the guest speaker of the Callioux Law Concert and Speaker Series.

July 10

MIGS Youth Fellow Michaela de Toldi attended the conference “Defending the Global Human Rights System from Authoritarian Assault” organized by the International Forum for Democratic Studies and the National Endowment for Democracy.

July 10

Marie Lamensch spoke about gendered disinformation to ODIL, a francophone organization supported by the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie. You can listen to the podcast episode here.

July 13

Marie Lamensch and Lauren Salim attended the virtual launch of #ShePersisted’s new report “From Catalyst for Freedom to Tool for Repression (Tunisia Report)”. The event was co-organized by Access Now and #ShePersisted.

August 4

MIGS hosted a Twitter Spaces discussion with the Financial Times’ Ukraine correspondent Christopher Miller. Listen to the chat here. A podcast episode version will be available soon.

In the Media

July 4

Marie Lamensch spoke to Radio-Television Suisse about ongoing risks of genocide in Sudan. Listen to the interview in French here.

July 7

Ewelina Ochab published an article in Forbes titled “Wanted” Overseas-Based Hong Kong Human Rights Defenders Accused of National Security Law Offenses”.

Phil Gurski released a new episode of his podcast “Canadian Intelligence Eh Quick Hits” titled “What is the link Between Blasphemy and Terrorism?”

July 9

Ewelina Ochab published two articles in Forbes “DRC War Lords Sanctioned For their Involvement in Conflict- Related Sexual Violence” and “Criminal Complaint Against Russian Military Field in Germany”.

July 12

Kyle Matthews spoke to Global News about NATO’s expansion and why some Russian allies may be taking their distances from Russia.

July 10

Kyle Matthews was quoted in an article on CBC titled “Montreal Uyghur March to Bring Attention to China’s Persecution of Ethnic Muslim Minorities”.

July 11

MIGS Fellow Mark Kersten published an article in the Globe and Mail titled “Why it Will Pay to Seize Russian Assets for Ukraine’s Recovery”.

July 16

Ewelina Ochab published two articles in Forbes: “International Criminal Court Launches Investigation into Surging Violence in Darfur” and “Canada Launches Investigation into Allegations of Uyghur Forced Labor”.

July 19

Phil Gurski released a new episode of his podcast “Canadian Intelligence Eh Quick Hits” titled “Why Can’t Canada Call Islamist Terrorism What it Is?

July 24

Phil Gurski published an article in the Ottawa Citizen titled “Canada needs to develop and nurture an 'intelligence culture'”.

July 25

Ewelina Ochab published one article in Forbes titled “The International Centre for The Crime of Aggression Ukraine Starts Operations in The Hague”.

August 1

Ewelina Ochab published one article in Forbes titled “UK Government: Daesh Committed Genocide Against The Yazidis”. Ewelina also spoke to JURIST about the UK's acknowledgement that atrocities committed against the Yazidi people in 2014 by Daesh constituted genocide. You can read the interview here.

August 2

On X/Twitter, MIGS Fellow Naomi Kikoler marked the 9th anniversary of the genocide perpetrated against the Yezidis.

August 3

Ewelina Ochab published an article in Forbes titled “Forced Passportization In Russia-Occupied Areas Of Ukraine”.

August 4

Marie Lamensch spoke to Radio Canada’s Midi Info about the repression of feminist movements in China, particularly on social media. Listen to the interview in French here.

August 5

Ewelina Ochab published an article in Forbes titled “Darfur Sees A Wave Of Violence Resembling The 2003 Genocide”.