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Simon Adams

@simonadams

Professor of Human Rights. Former President & CEO of Center for Victims of Torture @CVT.org. Also, @Globalr2p.org and @Skateistan.bsky.social

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13.11.2024
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Latest posts by Simon Adams @simonadams

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When Is an Illegal War Morally Defensible? Gareth Evans thinks the US and Israel will struggle to make the case that their aggression in Iran is legitimate.

Despite the horrific human rights record of Iran's malignant theocracy, the US-Israeli war on Iran is both illegal and morally indefensible. So argues the indomitable Gareth Evans... prosyn.org/JoEw8Gc

06.03.2026 02:21 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Analysis Suggests School Was Hit Amid U.S. Strikes on Iranian Naval Base

NYTimes investigation confirms a US missile strike killed 175+ people, including many children, at Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school in Minab, Iran. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/05/w...

06.03.2026 00:54 ๐Ÿ‘ 5 ๐Ÿ” 3 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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Politics and the media.

05.03.2026 01:46 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Blind refugee abandoned by Border Patrol dies in Buffalo. A nearly blind refugee abandoned by Border Patrol miles from his home dies in Buffalo after having been missing for nearly a week.

He survived a genocide. Became a refugee. Came to the US legally for protection, only to be tased, detained, then abandoned in winter conditions. This is what happens when cruelty and indifference to human suffering becomes government policy. www.investigativepost.org/2026/02/25/b...

27.02.2026 14:27 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Statement on the Recent Developments in the Middle East - Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect The United States (US) and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on Saturday, 28 February, striking command and control structures, nuclear facilities and military sites. The aerial attacks t...

Both of these things are true:
1. Iran is a ruthless theocracy that tortures dissidents and massacres protesters in the streets.
2. The United States & Israel are conducting an illegal war in violation of international law and the UN Charter
www.globalr2p.org/publications...

04.03.2026 00:15 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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South Sudan: MSF concerned for unaccounted staff in Lankien and Pieri | MSF MSF is concerned for the 26 staff members who we have not had contact with since an escalation of violence in Lankien and Pieri, Jonglei state, South Sudan.

26 staff from @MSF missing in South Sudan as deadly conflict escalates. The countryโ€™s ethnic warlords and predatory militias have a long history of targeting humanitarian workers and committing atrocities.๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ธ www.msf.org/south-sudan-...

04.03.2026 00:10 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Statement on the Recent Developments in the Middle East - Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect The United States (US) and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on Saturday, 28 February, striking command and control structures, nuclear facilities and military sites. The aerial attacks t...

Itโ€™s always important to be honest, but in times of great peril it is indispensable to speak with moral clarity. When governments fail to do so, civil society steps up. www.globalr2p.org/publications...

From @globalr2p.org:

03.03.2026 06:53 ๐Ÿ‘ 7 ๐Ÿ” 3 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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US and Israel offer shifting justifications for Iran war: what we know on day four US secretary of state Marco Rubio says Saturdayโ€™s strikes on Iran were a pre-emptive action; Benjamin Netanyahu says it will not be โ€˜an endless warโ€™

Both of these things are true:
1. Iran is a ruthless theocracy that tortures dissidents and massacres protesters in the streets.
2. The United States & Israel are conducting an illegal war in violation of international law and the UN Charter.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

03.03.2026 06:04 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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New strikes hit Tehran โ€“ as it happened This blog is closed

Delusional and soulless President Trump starts a war with Iran despite building his political career promising to end all foreign wars, and 6 months after bragging he had utterly destroyed Iranโ€™s nuclear capability. Anything to distract from you know what. www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...

01.03.2026 05:01 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Blind refugee abandoned by Border Patrol dies in Buffalo. A nearly blind refugee abandoned by Border Patrol miles from his home dies in Buffalo after having been missing for nearly a week.

He survived a genocide. Became a refugee. Came to the US legally for protection, only to be tased, detained, then abandoned in winter conditions. This is what happens when cruelty and indifference to human suffering becomes government policy. www.investigativepost.org/2026/02/25/b...

27.02.2026 14:27 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

International justice matters. Despite the efforts of some authoritarian leaders to denigrate, sanction and marginalize the court, the ICC is sometimes the only hope survivors of atrocities have for accountability. The Duterte case is truly historic.โš–๏ธ

24.02.2026 00:15 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Torture Survivors Living in Minnesota Face ICE Imagine having to flee from your home in order to survive. Imagine what it would take for you to leave everything and everyone you love behind.

ICE detained 6 asylum seekers who torture survivors and @cvt.org clients. All were in the US legally. Listen to their stories from the frontlines in Minnesota (via my wonderful former colleague Sara Nelson)... โฌ‡๏ธ ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธhttps://www.cvt.org/articles/torture-survivors-living-in-minnesota-face-ice/

20.02.2026 03:08 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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After 15 years living and working outside Australia, I just re-enrolled to vote ๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ. It was an easy online process overseen by a neutral commission. This is what you do in functioning democracies - you encourage and enable citizens to vote.

26.02.2026 03:06 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Sudan slams Uganda for hosting leader of RSF paramilitary force Sudan accuses Uganda of flouting international law by meeting Rapid Support Forces boss Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

Dagalo (Hemedti) has command responsibility for the predatory RSF militia that perpetrated atrocities at El Fasher and across Sudan. He belongs in handcuffs, not sitting on plush diplomatic couches in Uganda. www.bbc.com/news/article...

23.02.2026 00:28 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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More than 1,500 Venezuelan political prisoners apply for amnesty The announcement by the head of Venezuela's National Assembly comes amid US pressure following the capture of ex-President Nicolรกs Maduro.

For more than a decade, political persecution, disappearance and detentionโ€”often including tortureโ€”have been used to crush dissent in #Venezuela. The new amnesty law should just be the first step. All political prisoners must be freed.๐Ÿ‡ป๐Ÿ‡ช www.bbc.com/news/article...

22.02.2026 13:09 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Iran - Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect Iranian authorities are committing possible crimes against humanity through mass killings and arbitrary arrests of peaceful protesters. Various populations, including women, girls and members of ethni...

Iran is not just a nuclear threat. Itโ€™s theocratic rulers are committing crimes against humanity through the mass killing of protesters, arbitrary arrests, and the ongoing torture of political prisoners.
www.globalr2p.org/countries/ir...

25.02.2026 00:21 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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War Crimes, Trauma and Ukraineโ€™s โ€˜Invisible Frontlineโ€™ Since February 2022, Ukraine has become the cynosure of the world. Russiaโ€™s President, Vladimir Putin, thought he could conquer Kyiv and subdue Ukraine in a matter of days. Instead, eighteen months la...

Four years since Russiaโ€™s illegal invasion of #Ukraine. Four years of unrelenting war crimes and civilian suffering. Ukraine remains the front line against Putinโ€™s deadly imperial hubris. www.cvt.org/articles/war...

25.02.2026 00:08 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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South Sudan fighting displaces nearly 280,000; UN warns of โ€˜perfect stormโ€™ Renewed fighting in South Sudanโ€™s Jonglei state has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians in recent weeks, damaged health facilities, fuelled the spread of cholera and prompting the UN relief c...

Itโ€™s 15 years since South Sudan gained independence. But predatory politicians and rival ethnic militias have condemned the country to recurring civil war and poverty. Without real accountability for past atrocities, the cycle of pointless suffering will not end. news.un.org/en/story/202...

24.02.2026 00:39 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

International justice matters. Despite the efforts of some authoritarian leaders to denigrate, sanction and marginalize the court, the ICC is sometimes the only hope survivors of atrocities have for accountability. The Duterte case is truly historic.โš–๏ธ

24.02.2026 00:15 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Sudan slams Uganda for hosting leader of RSF paramilitary force Sudan accuses Uganda of flouting international law by meeting Rapid Support Forces boss Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

Dagalo (Hemedti) has command responsibility for the predatory RSF militia that perpetrated atrocities at El Fasher and across Sudan. He belongs in handcuffs, not sitting on plush diplomatic couches in Uganda. www.bbc.com/news/article...

23.02.2026 00:28 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Killing Anna - CPH:DOX A Syrian woman creates a fake identity on Facebook to trap war criminals in a gripping psychological thriller sparked by a shocking video.

Bellingcat's latest documentary, Killing Anna, a tale of catfishing Syrian war criminals and exposing their roles in a massacre, will be shown at CPH:DOX in March. The ultimate Doxxing at DOX.
cphdox.dk/film/killing...

21.02.2026 14:43 ๐Ÿ‘ 243 ๐Ÿ” 48 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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More than 1,500 Venezuelan political prisoners apply for amnesty The announcement by the head of Venezuela's National Assembly comes amid US pressure following the capture of ex-President Nicolรกs Maduro.

For more than a decade, political persecution, disappearance and detentionโ€”often including tortureโ€”have been used to crush dissent in #Venezuela. The new amnesty law should just be the first step. All political prisoners must be freed.๐Ÿ‡ป๐Ÿ‡ช www.bbc.com/news/article...

22.02.2026 13:09 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Torture Survivors Living in Minnesota Face ICE Imagine having to flee from your home in order to survive. Imagine what it would take for you to leave everything and everyone you love behind.

ICE detained 6 asylum seekers who torture survivors and @cvt.org clients. All were in the US legally. Listen to their stories from the frontlines in Minnesota (via my wonderful former colleague Sara Nelson)... โฌ‡๏ธ ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธhttps://www.cvt.org/articles/torture-survivors-living-in-minnesota-face-ice/

20.02.2026 03:08 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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U.S. Deports Nine Migrants in Secret, Ignoring Legal Protections

The US govt secretly deported 9 people to Cameroon, despite them being under protection orders. This is not only illegal, it is also immoral and unconscionable. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/14/w...

19.02.2026 13:30 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Torture Survivors Living in Minnesota Face ICE Imagine having to flee from your home in order to survive. Imagine what it would take for you to leave everything and everyone you love behind.

โ€œOur clients are facing a brutal reality: Life in the United States is now like the life they fled.โ€ CVT's Sara Nelson writes about what clients have faced in Minn as ICE agents have swarmed the region & detained 6 clients, all of whom are lawfully present in the U.S.
www.cvt.org/articles/tor...

18.02.2026 18:11 ๐Ÿ‘ 4 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Jesse Jackson marched with Dr Martin Luther King Jr and dedicated his life to advancing human rights for all Americans. He should be remembered as someone who stood on the right side of history when it mattered the most.๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ

18.02.2026 00:48 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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โ€˜Deliberate targeting of vital body partsโ€™: X-rays taken after Iran protests expose extent of catastrophic injuries Exclusive: Expert analysis of images from one hospital suggests severe trauma to the face, chest and genitals was caused by metal birdshot and high-calibre bullets

Iranโ€™s government uses Kinetic Impact Projectiles (KIPs) - including rubber bullets and shotgun pellets - to intentionally punish, terrorize and blind protestors. This is not only unconscionably evil, it is also illegal under international law.๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ท www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

18.02.2026 00:42 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

General Min Aung Hlaing has command responsibility for atrocities committed by #Myanmarโ€™s murderous military. But why is tiny East Timor the only country in Asia prepared to try to hold these perpetrators legally accountable? #UniversalJurisdiction ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ฑ

18.02.2026 00:27 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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ICE is a threat to public safety, civil rights and human decency. Disarm, defund and disband.๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ

(Art by Shepard Fairey)

15.02.2026 12:30 ๐Ÿ‘ 5 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

โ€œSome party hack decreed that the people had lost the government's confidence and could only regain it with redoubled effort. If that is the case, would it not be be simpler,
If the government simply dissolved the people And elected another?โ€
โ€• Bertolt Brecht

15.02.2026 05:34 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0