Rule of Law
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Clifton B. Parker
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Sheryl Sandberg, former Chief Operating Officer of Meta and founder of LeanIn.org — an NGO dedicated to empowering women and girls — told a Stanford audience that the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks and sexual violence against women drew her back to the spotlight with a message for the world:

“What is at stake is actually important for all of humanity,” she said at a Nov. 19 film screening of her documentary, Screams Before Silence. The event was hosted by the Visiting Fellows in Israel Studies program, housed at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law, and Hillel at Stanford.

The film included eyewitness accounts from released hostages, survivors, and first responders. During the Hamas attacks on Israeli towns and at the Nova Music Festival, women and girls were raped, assaulted, mutilated, and killed. Released hostages have revealed that Israeli captives in Gaza have also been sexually assaulted.

Yet, as Sandberg noted, the atrocities have received little scrutiny or attention from human rights and feminist groups, international organizations, and others. Some denialists have even said Hamas’ sexual violence never took place or that it was invented by Israel itself — an echo of 9/11 denialism and antisemitic conspiracy theories. So, Sandberg undertook the challenge of creating a 60-minute documentary, which has now registered almost three million YouTube views while also being screened around the world.

‘Make people see this’


Sandberg interviewed survivors and witnesses and survivors and traveled to the site of the Nova Music Festival, where 364, mostly young revelers, were murdered in the worst terrorist attack in the country’s history. She viewed hundreds of photos of dead bodies of women who displayed clear signs of sexual abuse and harm.

She noted that even war has rules of law and that what she discovered while making the film was often incomprehensible, tragic, and heartbreaking.

Rape should never be used as an act of war, she said, and silence is complicity. “We know we have to keep fighting and trying to make people see this.”
 


We know we have to keep fighting and trying to make people see this.
Sheryl Sandberg
Founder, LeanIn.org


‘A Moral Eclipse’


In his introduction of Sandberg, Amichai Magen, the inaugural Visiting Fellow in Israel Studies at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI), explained the film’s title.

“There is the obvious meaning, capturing the silence of death after the acts of violence. But there is also the silence of the international community, the complete shock experienced by Jewish communities all around the world, that on Oct. 8, some people denied this ever happened … After the screams, we experienced a moral silence, a moral eclipse. And then there is the silence of the invisible wounds, the broken minds, the broken souls, the broken families,” Magen said.

Amichai Magen delivers opening remarks at a podium before a screening of "Screams Before Silence." Amichai Magen delivers opening remarks before a screening of "Screams Before Silence." Rod Searcey

After leaving Meta a few years ago, Sandberg said she was completely committed to being private and not public anymore. “I'd had it, and it was done.” And then, Oct. 7 took place, and subsequent reports about sexual violence seemed to be met with an eerie silence.

Why the silence? Sandberg offered that people are so politically polarized today that they want every fact to fit into their particular narrative. And for some, sexual violence may not fit into their narrative.

“What is happening is that politics — polarization and extreme politics — are blinding us to something that should be completely obvious. I shouldn't even have to say this. Rape is not resistance. Never. Under any circumstances. Rape is not resistance. It never has been, it never will be,” she said.
 


Rape is not resistance. Never. Under any circumstances. Rape is not resistance. It never has been, it never will be.
Sheryl Sandberg
Founder, LeanIn.org


Anyone who has a mother, a sister, a daughter, a wife, or a friend should join together to unite against rape in war or elsewhere, she added.

“It threatens all of our values,” Sandberg said about Hamas’ massacres of Israelis.

In one interview that Sandberg conducted, she spoke with Ayelet Levy Sachar, the mother of 19-year-old Naama Levy, whose kidnapping that morning was filmed by Hamas. The horrific sight of her pajama bottoms, drenched in blood at the back, was a clear indicator that sexual brutality was carried out by Hamas.

‘He’s just a hero’


After the film concluded, Sandberg joined Ayelet Gundar-Goshen, and Rabbi Idit Solomon for a conversation and question-and-answer session with the audience. Gundar-Goshen is a clinical psychologist who has personally treated Nova survivors. This quarter she is lecturer and artist-in-residence at Stanford’s Taube Center for Jewish Studies. Rabbi Idit Solomon is the interim associate director at Hillel at Stanford.

Ayelet Gundar-Goshen in conversation with Sheryl Sandberg. Ayelet Gundar-Goshen in conversation with Sheryl Sandberg. Rod Searcey

Sandberg expressed heartache over the current situation in Gaza and said she is a supporter of a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians.

“War is a terrible thing. Terror is a terrible thing. Oct. 7 is a terrible thing. What happened after that is a terrible thing. None of this should happen. We have to believe in peace. We have to get to peace. But in order to have peace, you need two people who are willing to let the other side live in peace,” she said.

In the film, she spoke with Rami Davidson, who heroically saved over 100 lives at the Nova Music Festival.

“He's just a hero,” Sandberg said about her interview with Davidson near the spot of the Nova festival. They stood close to the trees where he recalled seeing naked and mutilated bodies tied to them on Oct. 7.

“And he starts crying. He said, ‘I could have saved them. He rescued over 100 people, mostly from the Nova … For 10 hours, he went in and out in his little car, rescuing people, risking his own life. And he was just crying about the ones he didn't get to.”
 


We have to believe in peace. We have to get to peace. But in order to have peace, you need two people who are willing to let the other side live in peace.
Sheryl Sandberg
Founder, LeanIn.org


‘A threat to our values’


Sandberg urged the audience to embrace the point that such terror will never have a place in a civilized world.

“It may take time and it may take a lot of work by people like you and all the brave people who are here today. But we are going to persuade people that this is terror. We are going to get to a world where people don't tolerate this terror and recognize the threat to our values that this is,” she said.

The documentary was released for private and public use without any licensing fees. “We're trying to get everyone we can to see it,” she said. It can be viewed for free on YouTube.

Sandberg recalled a discussion with Denis Mukwege, a Congolese physician who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict. Mukwege said the most horrible aspect of sexual violence as a war tool is that it's incredibly effective and free.

“It doesn't just take real lives, but it destroys communities in many places around the world. When a woman is raped, in some cultures, she's then outcast from her society. It systematically destroys the fabric of communities. You have the single most effective tool of war, and it is available for free. You don't have to buy a bomb or a gun. That is so devastating because you realize what we're up against,” Sandberg said.

She concluded, “We will come through this. Not everyone will come through this. These people, some of these people will not. But we will come through this. And so, this event gives me hope.”

Ayelet Gundar Goshen, Sheryl Sandberg, and Rabbi Idit Solomon discuss Sandberg's documentary "Screams Before Silence" following a Stanford screening on November 19, 2024. Ayelet Gundar Goshen, Sheryl Sandberg, and Rabbi Idit Solomon discuss Sandberg's documentary "Screams Before Silence" following a Stanford screening on November 19, 2024. Rod Searcey

If you are someone you know has been affected by sexual violence, the following resources are available for support:
 

  1. CAPS: Stanford Counseling and Psychological Services
    CAPS provides an array of mental health services available to students: clinical services, groups and workshops, and options for care outside of CAPS. Additionally, satellite clinics in multiple community centers offer "Let’s Talk in community."
    Phone: 650.723.3785
     
  2. Confidential Support Team (CST)
    Supports connection, healing, and thriving among Stanford community members impacted by sexual, relationship, and gender-based violence through confidential, trauma-informed consultation, counseling, and outreach. Legally confidential (non-reporting) support for sexual assault or relationship abuse.
    Phone: 650.736.6933
    24/7 urgent support hotline: 650.725.9955
     
  3. Hillel@Stanford Brief Therapy Program
    Up to 5 sessions are free for students who identify as part of the Hillel community.
    Email: ekrohner@brieftherapycenter.org
     
  4. 211 Santa Clara County
    Free sexual assault hotline.
    Phone: Dial 211
     
  5. Shalom Bayit
    Support for Jewish battered women.
    Helpline: 866.742.5667 (SHALOM-7)

Read More

Family and friends of May Naim, 24, who was murdered by Palestinians militants at the "Supernova" festival, near the Israeli border with Gaza strip, react during her funeral on October 11, 2023 in Gan Haim, Israel. (Getty Images)
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FSI Scholars Analyze Implications of Hamas’ Terror Attack on Israel

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Panelists at the event "1973 Yom Kippur War: Lessons Learned"
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The 1973 Yom Kippur War and Lessons for the Israel-Hamas Conflict

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Tzipi Livni speaks at a lunch time event with Stanford faculty and students.
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FSI's Visiting Fellow in Israel Studies Reflects on What Lies Ahead for Israel and the Middle East

The October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas has already indelibly altered Israel and the Middle East, and will continue to reverberate for decades to come, says Amichai Magen, a fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies.
cover link FSI's Visiting Fellow in Israel Studies Reflects on What Lies Ahead for Israel and the Middle East
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Sheryl Sandberg said that filming a documentary about the sexual brutality of Hamas’ attacks on Israelis on Oct. 7 was the most important work of her life and that she wants to turn the world’s attention to the inhumanity that took place.

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Shorenstein APARC's annual report for the academic year 2023-24 is now available.

Learn about the research, publications, and events produced by the Center and its programs over the last academic year. Read the feature sections, which look at the historic meeting at Stanford between the leaders of Korea and Japan and the launch of the Center's new Taiwan Program; learn about the research our faculty and postdoctoral fellows engaged in, including a study on China's integration of urban-rural health insurance and the policy work done by the Stanford Next Asia Policy Lab (SNAPL); and catch up on the Center's policy work, education initiatives, publications, and policy outreach. Download your copy or read it online below.

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Stacey is an Administrative and Media Assistant at CDDRL, where she provides support and event expertise to the team. With over a decade of event planning and administrative experience, she has demonstrated success in various sectors. Before joining Stanford, Stacey honed her skills, contributing to nonprofit organizations, startup companies, and the venture capital space. A Bay Area native, Stacey enjoys hiking throughout the region with her family, traveling to new places, creating and tinkering, and volunteering in her community. She is deeply committed to the values of democracy and is passionate about the mission of CDDRL.

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Nora Sulots
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The Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law is pleased to invite applications from pre-doctoral students at the write-up stage and from post-doctoral scholars working in any of the four program areas of democracy, development, evaluating the efficacy of democracy promotion, and rule of law. The application cycle for the 2025-2026 academic year will be open from Monday, September 23, 2024, through Sunday, December 1, 2024.

Our goal is to provide an intellectually dynamic environment that fosters lively exchange among Center members and helps everyone to do excellent scholarship. Fellows will spend the academic year at Stanford University focusing on research and data analysis as they work to finalize and publish their dissertation research while connecting with resident faculty and research staff at CDDRL.

Pre-doctoral fellows must be enrolled currently in a doctoral program or equivalent through the time of intended residency at Stanford and must be at the dissertation write-up (post course work) phase of their doctoral program. Post-doctoral fellows must have earned their Ph.D. within 3 years of the start of the fellowship, or plan to have successfully defended their Ph.D. dissertations by July 31, 2025.

In addition to our regular call for applications, CDDRL invites applications for the Gerhard Casper Fellow in Rule of Law for 2025-26. We welcome research on any aspect of rule of law, including judicial politics, criminal justice, and the politicization of judicial institutions. We are an interdisciplinary center; candidates from any relevant field (i.e. the social sciences, law) are welcome to apply. The Gerhard Casper Fellow will be part of CDDRL’s larger cohort of pre- and postdoctoral fellows. Please apply through the CDDRL fellowship application process and indicate that you would like to be considered for the Gerhard Casper Rule of Law Fellowship.

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The Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law welcomes applications from pre-doctoral students at the write-up stage and from post-doctoral scholars working in any of the four program areas of democracy, development, evaluating the efficacy of democracy promotion, and rule of law.

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Does Attorney-Client Privilege Put Some People Above the Law? Lecturer Erik Jensen and Stanford Law and Policy Lab students Sarah Manny and Kyrylo Korol expose how attorney-client privilege can undermine the rule of law.

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CDDRL Postdoctoral Fellow, 2024-25
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Jasmine is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford’s Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law (2024-25) and will be an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Reed College (2025).

Her research focuses on political behavior, interracial solidarity, and the carceral state in American politics. Ongoing projects include “Dilemmas of Accommodation,” which explores the barriers to deliberation and political action in racially diverse churches, and a series of projects on “carceral political discussion.” Across her research, Jasmine uses ethnographic methods, in-depth interviews, original surveys, and experiments. Her work has been published in the American Political Science Review and Politics, Groups, and Identities.

Jasmine received her PhD in Political Science from MIT in 2024 and graduated with degrees in Political Science and Economics from UCLA in 2018. She is originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland.

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Gerhard Casper Postdoctoral Fellow in Rule of Law, 2024-25
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Gillian Slee is the Gerhard Casper Fellow in Rule of Law at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law (CDDRL) at Stanford University. Her work focuses on understanding and ameliorating inequality in American state processes. To this end, she has studied institutions with far-reaching consequences: public defense, child protective services, and parole. With each of her projects, Gillian aims to humanize key state processes and, in so doing, demonstrate how institutions’ relational dynamics shape inequality. She uses a range of methods — ethnography, in-depth interviews, and statistics — and has published her work in Theory and Society, Social Service Review, Politics & Society, and Journal of Marriage and Family.

Gillian completed her Ph.D. in Sociology and Social Policy at Princeton University in 2024. She earned her M.Phil. in Criminology at the University of Cambridge, where she was a Herchel Smith Harvard Scholar. Gillian graduated from Harvard College with a degree in Social Studies and a minor in Psychology. Her research has been recognized with Centennial, Charlotte Elizabeth Procter, Marion J. Levy, Jr., and P.E.O. Scholar fellowships.

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Katherine Viti
Kyrylo Korol
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Many of us go to law school interested in public policy as well as in law, but it is a rare opportunity when students get to do legal research, write a policy report—and present that report to decision-makers in Washington, D.C. For those of us enrolled in Policy Practicum: Regulating Legal Enablers of Russia’s War on Ukraine, our experience went beyond learning theory and skills. The research class provided a platform to support the fight for justice globally and to reiterate the importance of lawyers in safeguarding democracy. And for one of us, it was also the opportunity to aid his own country, Ukraine, and its people in an existential war and to ensure that the voices of people from afar are heard and considered.

As Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine dragged into its third year, we were part of a group of Stanford Law School students researching how U.S.-based policy solutions could contribute to Ukraine’s war effort. In the policy lab, Professor Erik Jensen led students through two quarters of work to develop a policy report on the problem of legal professionals helping to evade sanctions (lawyer-enablers) in the context of the war in Ukraine. The policy lab’s client was the International Working Group on Russian Sanctions at Stanford’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, led by Professor Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia.

Read the full article in Stanford Lawyer.

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Stanford Law School students research and advocate for stronger regulation of lawyer-enablers of Russian sanctions evasion, led by professor Erik Jensen.

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Each year, the Fisher Family Summer Fellows on Democracy and Development Program hosted by the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law (CDDRL) at Stanford University brings together an annual cohort of approximately 30 mid-career practitioners from countries in political transition who are working to advance democratic practices and enact economic and legal reform to promote human development. Launched by CDDRL in 2005, the program was previously known as the Draper Hills Summer Fellows Program. The program was renamed in 2023 in recognition of a gift from the Fisher family — Sakurako (Sako), ‘82, and William (Bill), MBA ‘84 — that endowed the program and secured its future.

CDDRL looks forward to convening another powerful network of leaders determined to advance change in their communities.


The Fisher Family Summer Fellows Class of 2024 is a diverse cohort of 26 experienced practitioners from 21 countries who are working to advance democratic practices and economic and legal reform in contexts where freedom, human development, and good governance are fragile or at risk.

Included in this year’s class are three Ukrainian fellows who are jointly participating in CDDRL’s Strengthening Ukrainian Democracy and Development Program (SU-DD). These fellows began meeting regularly online with CDDRL faculty in early June to identify and define the scope of their individual projects, each of which focuses on actionable ways to support Ukraine’s recovery from Russia’s invasion. By including our SU-DD scholars in the Fisher Family Summer Fellows Program, we seek to create connections, synergies, and a deeper understanding of shared development problems and solutions from a variety of country contexts. Participating in this program will also expand the network for our Ukrainian fellows to draw upon as they continue their work and implement their projects when they leave Stanford.

The 27 Fisher Family Summer Fellows will arrive on campus on July 20 to begin their three-week training program. Delivered by an interdisciplinary team of Stanford faculty, the program allows emerging and established global leaders to explore new institutional models and frameworks to enhance their ability to promote good governance and accountable politics and find new ways to achieve economic development in their home countries.

Meet the Fellows

Armenia | Azerbaijan | Bangladesh | Brazil | Cameroon | Ecuador | Ethiopia | Georgia | India | Kenya | Mongolia | Nicaragua | Nigeria | North Macedonia | Philippines | Republic of Moldova | South Africa | Tunisia | Ukraine | Venezuela | Vietnam


 

ARMENIA
 

Vardan Partamyan

Vardan Partamyan has a diverse background in project management and democracy work. As a Senior Program Manager at NDI Armenia, Vardan oversees all political party-related programs, coordinates public opinion research, and fosters opportunities for Armenia’s youth and women. Prior to NDI Armenia, Vardan served as the Head of Projects at the Armenia Fund, where he led the coordination of projects, communication, and negotiations with donors. He holds a Master's Degree in English Language and Psychology. Committed to continuous learning, Vardan has participated in numerous professional development events. In an alternate reality, Vardan is an author of science fiction and satirical novels.



AZERBAIJAN
 

Ziya Guliyev

Ziya Guliyev is a human rights lawyer and the founder of the Law Society of Azerbaijan, an independent think tank committed to advancing human rights in the country. With a master's degree in international human rights law from the University of Essex, he possesses extensive expertise in the field. Previously, he served on the boards of organizations such as the CIVICUS Alliance and the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum. A member of the European Society of International Law since 2023, his research focuses on human rights and transitional justice. Notably, he has spoken at Global Summits of the Open Government Partnership since 2016, which have been held in Tbilisi, Ottawa, and Tallinn.



BANGLADESH
 

Md. Showkat Hossain

Mr. Md. Showkat Hossain is a Serving judge in Bangladesh with 15 years of trial experience in civil and criminal courts. Currently, he is an Additional District Judge, the second most senior post in Bangladesh's hierarchy of trial court judges. Despite a declining democracy in Bangladesh, he has been trying to ensure that citizens of his territorial jurisdiction are not subjected to any arbitrary persecution. After his LL. B and LL.M from Bangladesh, he received the UK government’s Chevening scholarship and studied Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Edinburgh, UK. He is an adjunct faculty of the Police Staff College, Bangladesh, and the Independent University of Bangladesh.



BRAZIL
 

Flávia Pellegrino

Flávia Pellegrino is the executive director of Pacto pela Democracia, a coalition that coordinates the efforts of social actors across the ideological spectrum to strengthen civil society’s capacity to defend and strengthen democracy in Brazil. Over the past decade Flávia has built and coordinated networks within Brazilian civil society dedicated to defending democracy and human rights. Flávia holds a degree in journalism and a master's degree in Political Science. Prior to her work in civil society organizations, Flávia worked as a journalist in Brazil and France, coordinated projects in the education sector, and taught politics at a popular prep school in São Paulo.



CAMEROON
 

Kahbila Mbuton

Kahbila Mbuton is a Lawyer and Human Rights Officer at the West Africa Regional Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR-WARO), where she works on a human rights-based approach to migration. Born and raised in Bamenda, Cameroon, Kahbila holds an MSt. International Human Rights Law (University of Oxford) and an LLM in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa (University of Pretoria). She served in human rights roles at OHCHR Uganda and the African Union Mission in Somalia. Kahbila is a 2018 Mandela Washington Fellow. Passionate about human rights and democracy (equality/non-discrimination and rule of law/accountability), she aspires to contribute towards human rights-based responses that sustainably address development challenges.



ECUADOR
 

Patricio Lloret

Patricio Lloret, a seasoned public administration leader, has held key roles such as Undersecretary General of Anti-Corruption Public Policy and Undersecretary of Open Government. Specializing in governance innovation and stakeholder engagement, he globally influences as an advisory board member for the Open Data Charter. A Project Management Professional (PMP) with a Master's from University College London and an MBA from INCAE Business School, he's also a fellow of Georgetown University's Innovation & Leadership in Government Program. Passionate about inclusive governance, he champions democracy and development locally and globally.



ETHIOPIA
 

Girma Admasu

Mr. Girma Admasu, a dedicated professional with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology and Social Anthropology from Addis Ababa University, is the visionary behind "Positive Action for Development." Through innovative strategies, the organization has addressed critical issues like democracy, human rights, and governance, impacting communities with over 120 successful projects. Mr. Girma's academic journey includes a Master's Degree in Rural Development and ongoing Ph.D. studies in Rural Capacity Development and Development Leadership. With over 15 years of experience in development, human rights, and advocacy, he excels in leadership, project management, and social accountability.



GEORGIA
 

Khatia Dekanoidze

Khatia Dekanoidze has been a member of the Parliament of Georgia since 2020, representing the democratic Opposition of Georgia and advocating for the country's European aspirations. Born in Tbilisi, Georgia, she graduated from State University with a degree in International Law and Relations. Dekanoidze served as the Minister of Education of Georgia in 2012 and as the Chief of the National Police of Ukraine from 2015 to 2016. Between 2004 and 2012, she held various positions in the Georgian reformer government, contributing significantly to the reforms of the Georgian Police and Public Sector. As the Chief of Police in Ukraine, she had the honor of launching a massive police reform and creating modern police forces.



INDIA
 

Hamsa Vijayaraghavan

Hamsa Vijayaraghavan completed her law degree from Symbiosis Law School and her Masters from the University of Rouen, France, on an Erasmus Mundus scholarship. She is a 2023 Chevening Gurukul Fellow and a 2024 Salzburg Global Fellow. She has previously worked in the UK, with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) field office in India, the Ministry of Women and Child Development of the Government of India, and UNICEF. She is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Migration and Asylum Project, India’s first and only center for the study of forced migration, where her work is centered around advocating for a cohesive movement towards safe migration in the region.



KENYA
 

Gikui W. Gichuhi

Gikui W. Gichuhi, an Assistant Director Of Public Prosecutions in Kenya, holds a Master's in Animal Law from Lewis and Clark College, USA, and a Master's in International Business Law from the University of Hull, UK. She has expertise in homicide-related prosecutions and environmental law and is committed to justice, victim support, and environmental advocacy. She has been recognized for her contributions to policy development on alternative dispute resolution, children, the criminal justice system, and wildlife trafficking. Gighuhi has spoken at several conferences, including Interpol World 2019 and the Africa Prosecutors Association Conference 2023.
 

Sam Murunga

Sam Murunga is the editorial lead for Africa at BBC Monitoring, overseeing a team of 30 experts who provide essential insights into geopolitics, security, and the media. Murunga has a professional interest in how global power competition shapes African diplomacy and national politics and has extensively researched and highlighted the evolution of disinformation in Africa and the malign actors behind it. He is a student of leadership, a change champion, an editor, a writer, a strategist, and a sustainability advocate with a wealth of experience in African media and geopolitics. Murunga strives to contribute to positive change anchored by the mutual values of democracy, good governance, and sustainable development.



MONGOLIA
 

Dagvyn Enkhtsetseg

Dagvyn Enkhtsetseg is a program manager at Open Society Forum Mongolia, a policy-oriented NGO. She is a governance expert with almost two decades of experience focusing on policy reforms related to democracy building, mainly specializing in electoral and political party regulations. Ms. Enkhtsetseg is a regular speaker at domestic and international conferences on political financing in Mongolia and contributes policy advice to the government of Mongolia on laws and policies on democratic processes. She also serves as the coordinator for the Fair Elections network, a coalition of election monitoring groups that routinely monitors elections in Mongolia and participates in regional efforts.



NICARAGUA
 

Felix Maradiaga

Mr. Felix Maradiaga is a Nicaraguan human rights advocate widely recognized as one of his country’s leading voices for democracy. He founded the Fundación Para la Libertad, an organization focused on developing democratic education and research programs that the Ortega regime declared illegal in 2022. In 2018, during widespread protests against the Ortega regime, he survived two assassination attempts and faced numerous criminal charges and smear campaigns. In 2021, after announcing plans for a presidential campaign, he was arrested and sentenced to 13 years in prison. In February 2023, he and 221 other political prisoners were stripped of their citizenship by the Nicaraguan government and expelled to the United States.



NIGERIA
 

Dabesaki Mac-Ikemenjima

Dabesaki Mac-Ikemenjima is a Senior Program Officer at the Ford Foundation. He leads programming to advance inclusive societies, with an emphasis on youth and disability inclusion, gender, and protecting the civic space. For two decades, Dabesaki's work has involved approaches centered on minority voices and the design of bespoke initiatives. He led the establishment of the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund, a donor collaborative to support youth civic engagement in Nigeria. In response to threats to democracy in West Africa, he is leading the design of a regional democracy fund. He was also recently project lead for Ford's polarization initiative covering Asia, the U.S., Africa, and Latin America.
 

Obiamaka Nwachi

Obiamaka Nwachi is a Chief Magistrate with the Enugu State Judiciary of Nigeria and has over a decade of experience in justice dispensation and dispute resolution. She has judiciously presided over countless cases ranging from civil disputes to criminal matters. Her analytical and legal drafting skills have been pivotal to the excellent execution of her judicial duties. She is notable for her impartiality and integrity in pursuing positive change. Her empathy towards victims of injustice remains her greatest inspiration for upholding equality, fairness, and the rule of law. Outside the courtroom, Obiamaka volunteers for causes focused on women's empowerment and engages in her personal development.



NORTH MACEDONIA

 

Biljana Spasovska

Biljana Spasovska, Executive Director of the Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN), brings over a decade of expertise in promoting civil society and democratic values in her region and beyond. With a Master's in Interdisciplinary Eastern European Studies from the University of Bologna and currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Globalization and Democracy, Biljana leads BCSDN's efforts to amplify civil society's role in policy and boost civic engagement for a more democratic Balkans. She co-chairs the global CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness, is a member of the Global Standard for CSO Accountability, and is an honorary member of the European Economic and Social Committee.



PHILIPPINES
 

Kristina Conti

Kristina Conti is a people’s lawyer in the Philippines. She is currently the secretary general of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers chapter in the National Capital Region. She has 10 years of experience as a litigator and 20 years as an activist, working in grassroots organizations. Core to her work is combatting impunity through strategic human rights litigation. She is registered as assistant to counsel at the International Criminal Court in anticipation of trial on the Philippines’ “war on drugs.” Through cases and advocacy, she has been grounded in situations of political persecution, law enforcement and prison reform, peace processes, and international humanitarian law.



REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA
 

Victor Spinu

Victor Spinu is a dedicated Member of Parliament in Moldova, serving on the Committee on Economy, Budget, and Finance. He plays an important role in shaping economic policies and driving the nation’s digital transformation. His work focuses on enhancing transparency and efficiency within government operations through digital solutions. Victor is committed to advancing Moldova’s integration into the European Union, promoting sustainable development, and improving governance through innovative and inclusive policymaking. In his leisure time, he enjoys gardening, taking long walks, and other activities that provide him with a sense of peace and a deep connection to Moldova's natural beauty.



SOUTH AFRICA
 

Lawrence Khoza

Lawrence Khoza has been an anti-apartheid activist and leading participant in South Africa's democratic formation. He has held senior positions in public and private sectors, including at PwC, in local and national government, and in South Africa's Parliament. He has served as a Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC: Regional Cabinet Minister) for Development Planning and Economic Development in the City of Johannesburg, Africa’s most commercially developed City. Lawrence holds a Masters Degree in Public Policy from Oxford University. He is a Fellow of the Salzburg Global Seminar. He writes for national publications and enjoys listening to jazz and classical music.



TUNISIA
 

Saida Ounissi

Saida Ounissi is a professional with almost a decade of experience in government, public policies, and political leadership. As a former Minister of Employment and Vocational Training in the Tunisian government, she led comprehensive reforms and shaped national strategies. Her expertise spans social policies, education, economic policies, and entrepreneurship programs. She is currently a public policies consultant with a focus on democratic transitions and social and economic reforms. She has received numerous awards, including the 2015 Democracy Award of the Year from the National Democratic Initiative, the 2018 Politician of the Year from One Young World, and the 2019 Top 100 Future Leaders from Apolitical.



UKRAINE
 

Iaroslav Liubchenko

Iaroslav Liubchenko* is a seasoned expert with over a decade of experience spearheading impactful projects. At the National Agency on Corruption Prevention, he is responsible for establishing integrity within the security, defense, and public authorities while adhering to best practices and international standards set by the OECD, EU, and NATO. His responsibilities include developing frameworks for whistleblowers, promoting transparency, and safeguarding individuals who expose wrongdoing. Additionally, he conducts anti-corruption assessments and mitigates corruption risks. He serves as the National Coordinator for Ukraine's collaboration with NATO in the field of integrity building.
 

Serhii Orlov

Serhii Orlov* is a seasoned Digital Transformation Executive with over a decade of experience in government technologies and various industries. As Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine, he led significant digital reforms, including digitizing over 30 justice services over the past three years. His notable contributions include automating the registration processes for private entrepreneurs and LLCs, with seven out of ten private entrepreneurs in Ukraine now utilizing this online service. Additionally, Mr. Orlov has coordinated the integration with the Register of Damage for Ukraine to help citizens who suffered from the war. He also leads the development of a system to forecast reoffending risks.
 

Svitlana Yarova

Svitlana Yarova* has been a member of the Vinnytsia city council for the past nine years, serving the last four as the head of the Budget and Social-Economic Development Committee. Prior to the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, she led projects to create an innovative technology park called "Crystal" and managed industrial parks in Vinnytsia. Before that, she established an innovative and inclusive youth center named "Kvadrat" by renovating an old building. Over the past year, Yarova has been working on developing the system architecture for managing grants and international technical support in the municipality to systematize processes and enhance transparency.
 

Olena Yena

Olena Yena has dedicated twenty years of her career to working with parties, CSOs, and government, helping them be more responsive to citizens' needs. She currently oversees political parties, parliamentary, and gender-focused programs at NDI Ukraine. Her programs aim to strengthen parties, promote gender equality, enhance women's political participation, and combat gender stereotypes and discrimination. From 2005 to 2010, Olena managed NDI’s Executive Development Program, which exposed a wide range of Ukrainian civil servants to best practices of public administration and policy-making in EU member states. Before joining the NDI team, she worked in both the public and private sectors.

* This Fellow is jointly participating in CDDRL’s Strengthening Ukrainian Democracy and Development Program.



VENEZUELA
 

Héctor Fuentes

Héctor Andrés Fuentes, born in Cagua, Venezuela, in 1990, is a lawyer, human rights advocate, and agent of social change in Venezuela, dedicated to bottom-up national transformation. He serves as the executive director of EstadoLab, a think-and-do tank focused on state fragility and the reconstruction of democratic governance. Fuentes obtained his law degree from Universidad Central de Venezuela in 2013, and he holds a Master's degree in Public Policy from Oxford University (2018) and a Master's degree in Global Affairs from Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University (2020). He has been both a Chevening Scholar and a Schwarzman Scholar.



VIETNAM
 

Thao Dinh

Thao Dinh, a pro-democracy leader and PhD student in Political Science, has been at the forefront of advocating for democratic reforms in Vietnam for nine years. A medical graduate, she later earned a Master's in Public Policy from the University of Fulbright Vietnam, amplifying her impact in promoting open civic space. Thao collaborates with global organizations to expose human rights violations and leads initiatives promoting the democratization process in Vietnam. Her journey as a mother inspires her commitment to creating inclusive, equitable environments. Looking forward, she aims to drive significant democratic transitions that empower future generations.

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Subtitle

In July 2024, the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law will welcome a diverse cohort of 26 experienced practitioners from 21 countries who are working to advance democratic practices and economic and legal reform in contexts where freedom, human development, and good governance are fragile or at risk.

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Lawyers represent a significant threat to the integrity of the U.S. sanctions regime. This report analyzes that threat in the context of Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine. Sanctions, particularly individual sanctions, are a central weapon in the United States’ national security arsenal. This report recommends that Congress, federal agencies, and state bar associations implement a comprehensive regulatory regime for lawyers engaging in certain transactional work to ensure U.S. lawyers are no longer enablers of sanctions evasion.

This report recommends amending the Banking Secrecy Act (BSA) to subject financial transactional work completed by lawyers to the same anti-money laundering and anti-sanctions evasion requirements to which banks are subject. Lawyers would be required to verify the true identity of their clients when completing financial transactions on their behalf and file reports with the government on suspicious client activity. This requirement would prevent oligarchs from gaming the U.S. anti-money laundering (AML) system by using lawyers instead of banks for these transactions. Congress must also fully fund the agencies that would implement this new law: the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and the Department of Justice (DOJ). FinCEN must issue comprehensive rules clarifying lawyers’ obligations under the BSA, and OFAC must amend its regulations to plug a critical gap in the current sanctions implementation framework. Finally, state bar associations must require that lawyers be trained on their new obligations.

This report begins with a description of the problem: oligarchic wealth, how that wealth supports Putin’s regime, and how U.S. lawyers enable sanctions evasion (Part I). It then gives an overview of the current regulatory landscape (Part II). Next, it presents how six other countries regulate lawyers as potential enablers of sanctions evasion and other crimes, including money laundering (Part III). Finally, it proposes a comprehensive legislative and regulatory regime to solve the lawyers-as-enablers problem (Part IV).

About the Law and Policy Lab

Under the guidance of faculty advisers, Law and Policy Lab students counsel real-world clients in such areas as education, copyright and patent reform, governance and transparency in emerging economies, policing technologies, and energy and the environment. Policy labs address problems for real clients, using analytic approaches that supplement traditional legal analysis. The clients may be local, state, or federal public agencies or officials, or private non-profit entities such as NGOs and foundations. Typically, policy labs assist clients through empirical evidence that scopes a policy problem and assesses options and courses of action. The methods may include comparative case studies, population surveys, stakeholder interviews, experimental methods, program evaluation or big data science, and a mix of qualitative and quantitative analysis. Faculty and students may apply theoretical perspectives from cognitive and social psychology, decision theory, economics, organizational behavior, political science or other behavioral science disciplines.

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Publication Type
Reports
Publication Date
Journal Publisher
Stanford Law School Law and Policy Lab, 2023-24 Spring
Authors
Erik Jensen
Kyrylo Korol
Sarah Manney
Katherine Viti
Lexi Curnin
Bryce Tuttle
Nathaniel Quigley
Tengqin (Max) Han
Garrett Walker
Frishta Quigley
Danny Sharp
Gabriel Bernardes
Moira Lieto
Gretchen Knaut
Book Publisher
Policy Practicum: Regulating Professional Enablers of Russia’s War on Ukraine (Law 809M)
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