On June 8, 2021, Case Western Reserve University School of Law professors had an online discussion with a team of Thai Human Rights experts, organized by the U.S. Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program and the Cleveland Council on World Affairs.
Participating from Case Western Reserve were Michael Scharf, dean of the law school; Avidan Cover, associate dean and director of the Institute for Global Security Law & Policy; Jim Johnson, director of the War Crimes Research Office; Maya Simek, director of the Human Trafficking Project; and Aleksander Cuic, director of the Immigration Law Clinic.
Using simultaneous translation, the conversation centered on best practices to protect the human rights of marginalized communities and indigenous people in Thailand, including issues of mass detention, mistreatment and expulsion from national parks.
“Hearing about the Thai lawyers’ dedicated efforts to surmount discriminatory government practices as well as rule of law challenges was incredibly illuminating and humbling,” said Dean Cover, who is an expert in Human Rights Law. “We look forward to a sustained dialogue and potential partnership on these issues.”