Amicae Curiae

17. Gender based violence in Ethiopia - Threats of the Digital Age

Grab your coffee and join us as we head to Ethiopia - where feminism, online violence, armed conflict, and digital technology collide. In this episode, we explore the story of Yordanos Bezabih, an Ethiopian women’s rights activist and engineer who became the target of years of online harassment, deepfake abuse, stalking, and death threats because of her feminist advocacy. From coordinated Telegram campaigns to doxxing and AI-generated sexual content, we look at how online violence against women can quickly spill into the offline world. We also dive into the broader context behind her story: the devastating Tigray war, one of the deadliest conflicts of the 21st century, marked by allegations of genocide, mass sexual violence, and ethnic persecution. Why was this conflict so underreported internationally? And how has wartime violence shaped the current climate for women and activists in Ethiopia today? Alongside this, we unpack the growing phenomenon of technology-facilitated gender-based violence - from deepfakes and cyber harassment to image-based abuse and online hate campaigns. As AI-generated content becomes more convincing and social media platforms struggle - or fail - to moderate harmful content, what responsibilities do states and companies like Meta actually have? We also discuss international human rights protections, including the ICCPR and CEDAW, and ask whether existing laws are capable of protecting women in increasingly digital societies. How dangerous can online hate become when it is left unchecked? What happens when feminist activism itself becomes politicized? And are governments and tech companies doing enough to stop digital violence before it turns physical? For any question or correction (because yes, we make mistakes), contact us at: ⁠contact.amicaecuriae@gmail.com

16. Political Prisoners in Türkiye – Silencing Opposition

Grab your coffee and join us as we head to Türkiye — where questions of political pluralism, free expression, and state power collide. In this episode, we explore the tense and decades-long conflict between the Turkish state and the Kurdish minority, the broad use of anti-terror laws, and a media landscape where critical voices risk prosecution. From dismissed mayors to jailed journalists, we look at how laws meant to protect the state can also be used to stifle pluralism and silence dissent. At the centre of it all is Selahattin Demirtaş — former presidential candidate and pro-Kurdish opposition leader — who has spent nearly a decade in prison over speeches and social media posts. His case reached the European Court of Human Rights, which delivered a rare finding: Türkiye violated Article 18 of the European Convention on Human Rights, meaning his detention pursued an ulterior political purpose. Despite a binding judgment ordering his release - he remains in jail. How did counterterrorism become a way to silence opposition? What does it mean to be a “political prisoner”? And what happens when a state openly defies a binding ECtHR judgment? For any question or correction (because yes, we make mistakes), contact us at: ⁠contact.amicaecuriae@gmail.com

15. The State of Emergency in El Salvador - Bukele’s Mano Dura

Grab your coffee and join us for a journey to Central America – specifically to El Salvador, a small country with an outsized and deeply complex history.In this episode, we dive into colonialism, civil war, U.S. influence, and the rise of one of the world’s most notorious gangs: Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13). From the surreal “Football War” with Honduras to the long shadows of the Cold War, we trace how violence, migration, and politics became tightly intertwined in Salvadoran society. At the heart of the episode lies the present: the rise of President Nayib Bukele and his radical Mano Dura (“Iron Fist”) crackdown on gang violence. We unpack the state of emergency, mass arrests, mega-prisons like CECOT, and the suspension of fundamental rights – including fair trial guarantees and the detention of children. Why do many Salvadorans feel safer than ever, while international organizations warn of widespread human rights abuses? Legally, we focus on core questions of international human rights law: what is a state allowed to do during a state of emergency? Which rights can never be suspended? And how do Bukele’s policies measure up against El Salvador’s obligations under the ICCPR and the American Convention on Human Rights? This episode tells the story of an apparent success built on a dangerous paradox: security achieved at the expense of freedom. A case that reaches far beyond El Salvador – and forces us to confront uncomfortable questions about power, populism, and the true cost of safety. For any questions or corrections (because yes, we make mistakes), contact us at:⁠contact.amicaecuriae@gmail.com⁠

14. Crimes Against Humanity in Chile - The Case of Pinochet

Grab your coffee and join us for a deep dive into one of the most famous - and disturbing - stories in international law: the rise, rule, and arrest of Augusto Pinochet. This episode takes us from Chile’s 1973 coup d’état and 17 years of military dictatorship marked by torture, enforced disappearances, and mass repression, to an unexpected arrest in London in 1998 that shook the foundations of international law. Along the way, we unpack CIA involvement in Latin America, concentration camps in football stadiums, and a regime that perfected cruelty as a tool of governance. At the legal heart of the episode lies a groundbreaking question: can a former head of State be arrested abroad for international crimes? We break down universal jurisdiction, crimes against humanity, and the historic House of Lords decision that stripped Pinochet of immunity for acts of torture - a moment that forever changed the fight against impunity. From Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón’s arrest warrant to Pinochet’s final return to Chile, where justice arrived late, this episode explores why accountability for mass atrocities is so hard to achieve, and why it still matters today, especially as Chile continues to grapple with Pinochet’s legacy. For any question or correction (because yes, we make mistakes), contact us at: contact.amicaecuriae@gmail.com.

13. Human Trafficking in Myanmar – Inside the Scam Parks

Grab your coffee and join us at the Thai–Myanmar border, where luxury villas and high-tech infrastructure conceal one of the fastest-growing human trafficking operations in the world. In this episode, we examine the rise of cyber-scam compounds in Myanmar — sites where tens of thousands of people are trafficked, detained, tortured, and forced to scam others online. At the centre is the story is a computer scientist from Ghana who accepted a job offer in Thailand, only to be trafficked and forced into cyber fraud under threats of violence. His experience exposes the cruel irony at the heart of these crimes: victims of trafficking coerced into committing criminal acts themselves. What does human trafficking for forced criminality mean under international law? How does the non-punishment principle seek to protect trafficked persons rather than re-traumatizing them? And what legal challenges does the rapid expansion of cybercrime present? These are only some of the questions of international law explored in this episode. What emerges is a sobering picture of how globalization, technology and weak accountability intersect — and why dismantling these crimes requires far more than border raids and power cuts. For any question or correction (because yes, we make mistakes), contact us at: contact.amicaecuriae@gmail.com