Are sanctions an effective policy tool? Live debate from Open to Debate and the Human Rights Foundation

Streaming live from the Oslo Freedom Forum, May 26

On May 26, veteran debate forum Open to Debate and the Human Rights Foundation partner on a live debate held at the Oslo Freedom Forum, their flagship conference in Norway, debating the question “Are Sanctions an Effective Policy Tool?” The debate will be held in front of an audience of dissidents, journalists, artists, philanthropists, technologists, entrepreneurs, policymakers, academics, and world leaders at the event. The Economist has called it the “Davos for human rights” and will stream it live online for anyone who can’t attend in person.

Arguing YES are former federal prosecutor Artie McConnell, who as an assistant United States attorney in the Eastern District of New York handled some of the Department of Justice’s most sensitive and complex terrorism, espionage, and cybersecurity cases, and Venezuelan political leader and activist Leopoldo López, a former political prisoner who spent four years in a military prison in Venezuela before escaping to continue his fight for Venezuela’s democracy and freedom in exile.

Arguing NO are Chatham House senior fellow for Latin America Christopher Sabatini, who is on the advisory committee for Human Rights Watch’s Americas division and is a frequent contributor to policy journals and newspapers on issues related to Latin America and foreign policy, and Dickey Center for International Understanding senior policy director Elizabeth Shackelford, who served as a career diplomat in the US State Department, with postings in Warsaw, Poland, South Sudan, Somalia, and Washington, DC.

The debate will take place Monday, May 26, at 3 p.m. local time (9 a.m. EST) at the Oslo Freedom Forum and stream live online. Media can email raypadgett@shorefire.com for information on how to tune in live or watch it afterward.

DEBATERS ARGUING YES – BIOS

Artie McConnell is a former federal prosecutor and partner on BakerHostetler’s White Collar, Investigations and Securities Enforcement and Litigation team. He also serves as the co-leader of the firm’s National Security Investigations and Litigation Task Force. Artie represents companies and individuals – both in and out of the courtroom – in high-stakes criminal and civil enforcement actions, cross-border regulatory proceedings, internal investigations and compliance matters. Before joining BakerHostetler, Artie served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of New York for ten years, where he handled some of the Department of Justice’s most sensitive and complex terrorism, espionage and cybersecurity cases. In recognition for his work, Artie received numerous accolades from various U.S. and foreign government agencies. He twice received awards from the Attorney General, including the John Marshall Award for his trial advocacy and the Distinguished Service Award for his sanctions and export control work. Before joining the DOJ, Artie served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, where he investigated and tried homicides, sex crimes and other serious felonies. He has tried nearly 50 cases to verdict during his career.

Leopoldo López is a Venezuelan political leader, pro-democracy activist and Sakharov prize laureate. He is the founder and national coordinator of the Voluntad Popular political party. After graduating from Harvard, he worked as an analyst and consultant for the chief economist to the planning vice-president of Petróleos de Venezuela (1996-1999) and taught Institutional Economics at the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello in Caracas. He subsequently served two terms as mayor of the municipality of Chacao, finishing his mandate with a 92% approval rate. He also won third place at the World Mayor Awards and the 2007 and 2008 “Premio Transparencia”, awarded by Transparency International. In 2009, he founded the Voluntad Popular political party and has been serving as its national coordinator since that date. In 2014 he was unjustly detained by the Maduro regime and was sentenced to 14 years of imprisonment. He spent four years in a military prison, a year and a half in house arrest and another year and a half in the Spanish embassy in Caracas under political asylum. He was recognized by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience. Also, in 2015 his detention was declared arbitrary by the UN. In October 2020, López escaped from Venezuela through Colombia to join his family in Spain. It was the first time in seven years that he was able to be with his family in freedom. In his exile, López continues his fight for Venezuela´s democracy and freedom. While in prison, Leopoldo López was able to write two books: “Preso pero Libre” (Península editorial 2016), a book about his experience in prison, non- violent protests and democracy in Venezuela. He also wrote “Venezuela Energética” (Debate editorial 2017), a book about the potential of Venezuela in the energy sector including the democratization of economic income.

DEBATERS ARGUING NO – BIOS

Dr Christopher Sabatini is senior fellow for Latin America at Chatham House and was formerly a lecturer in discipline in the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University. Chris is also on the advisory boards of Harvard University’s LASPAU, the Advisory Committee for Human Rights Watch’s Americas Division and of the Inter-American Foundation. He is also an HFX Fellow at the Halifax International Security Forum. He is a frequent contributor to policy journals and newspapers and appears in the media and on panels on issues related to Latin America and foreign policy. Chris has testified multiple times before the US Senate and the US House of Representatives. In 2015, Chris founded and directed a new research non-profit, Global Americas and edited its news and opinion website. From 2005 to 2014 Chris was senior director of policy at the Americas Society and Council of the Americas (AS/COA) and the founder and editor-in-chief of the hemispheric policy magazine Americas Quarterly (AQ). At the AS/COA, Dr. Sabatini chaired the organization’s rule of law and Cuba working groups. Prior to that, he was director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the National Endowment for Democracy, and a diplomacy fellow with the American Association for the Advancement of Science, working at the US Agency for International Development’s Center for Democracy and Governance.

Elizabeth Shackelford is a lecturer at Dartmouth College, senior policy director at the Dickey Center for International Understanding, and a foreign affairs columnist for the Chicago Tribune. Before joining Dartmouth, she was a senior fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs where she co-hosted the Deep Dish on Global Affairs podcast. Previously, she was a career diplomat with the U.S. Department of State, with postings in Poland, South Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, and Washington, DC. Before pursuing foreign affairs and diplomacy, Elizabeth was a lawyer with Covington & Burling in Washington DC. She is the author of “The Dissent Channel: American Diplomacy in a Dishonest Age,” winner of the Douglas Dillon Book Award. She has appeared alongside Jon Stewart, Christiane Amanpour and numerous others in media.

ABOUT OPEN TO DEBATE

Open to Debate addresses a fundamental problem in America: the extreme polarization of our nation and our politics. We are the nation’s only nonpartisan, debate-driven media organization dedicated to bringing multiple viewpoints together for a constructive, balanced, respectful exchange of ideas. Open to Debate is a platform for intellectually curious and open-minded people to engage with others holding opposing views on complex issues. We know debate works to find common ground: On average, 32% of the Open to Debate audience changes their mind on contentious topics after hearing a debate. That’s the power of debate done right, and at scale, it can change the direction we’re headed in America. Open to Debate is broadcast as a weekly public radio program, carried on NPR stations including WNYC (#1 in the nation). Open to Debate is made available as a podcast, video series, and digital platform, and records episodes with live audiences nationwide. Visit opentodebate.org to become a member, access an archive of more than 220 debates, and attend live events.

Go here for photos, links and more info: https://shorefire.com/roster/open-to-debate

ABOUT THE HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies. The Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF) is an international human rights conference series hosted and produced by HRF. Bringing together the world’s most engaging human rights advocates, journalists, artists, tech entrepreneurs, and world leaders, we aim to share their stories and brainstorm ways to expand freedom and unleash human potential across the globe.

For interview requests or media inquiries, please email elisha@hrf.org.

For more information on Open to Debate, please contact Ray Padgett (raypadgett@shorefire.com) or Mark Satlof (msatlof@shorefire.com) at Shore Fire Media.