Nine To Noon Kenneth Roth on holding regimes to account
Mar 25, 2026
Kenneth Roth, former long-term executive director of Human Rights Watch and veteran human rights advocate. He discusses strategic international pressure and shaming as tools to constrain abusive regimes. He weighs targeted versus broad sanctions, the role of alliances and credibility, UN relevance, tech’s risks and opportunities, and how public pressure and coordinated diplomacy can change policy.
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Allied Unity Built International Institutions
- Collective action by democracies can restrain superpowers and create institutions like the ICC.
- Roth notes the ICC succeeded because about 60 governments defied U.S. opposition and won a 120 to 7 vote.
Double Standards Persist Beyond One Administration
- Contempt for international law predates any single administration, but Trump is uniquely dismissive while double standards persist across parties.
- Roth argues democracies have historically failed to consistently challenge abuses by allies like Israel, Saudi Arabia, and China.
Combine Public Shame With Targeted Leverage
- Use a one-two strategy: public shaming plus targeted leverage to change behavior.
- Human Rights Watch pairs exposing abuses with urging democracies to withhold arms, trade benefits, or summit invitations until conduct improves.
