Investigating war crimes, pursuing justice, and preparing tomorrow's advocates.
Berkeley, CA
Joined February 2008
- Tweets4.2K
- Following1.5K
- Followers22.8K
- Likes1.5K
Pinned Tweet
We officially launched the #BerkeleyProtocol on Digital Open Source Investigations with @UNHumanRights High Commissioner @volker_turk and launched HRC's 30th Anniversary year! We're deeply grateful for our partnership with UN OHCHR, and look forward to our future collaborations.
As new tech risks new rights abuses, our ability to monitor & defend others' rights is increasingly vital.
I'm proud to work w/ inspiring @BerkeleyLaw students to launch the Berkeley Protocol: a tool to ensure digitally documented evidence can contribute to legal accountability.
1/3 A new joint investigation by HRC, Evident Media, and @MotherJones exposes the troubled history of the FN303 Less Lethal Launcher—a controversial crowd control weapon tied to severe protest injuries across American streets.
youtube.com/watch?v=GXjxwjB7…
2/3 Drawing on open source research conducted in our Investigations Lab alongside @P4HR, the investigation traces the weapon's track record from its 2003 rollout all the way to recent immigration-related protests.
3/3 HRC Investigations Lab supervising reporter Sasha Schell and alumnus Beck Klein explore how this especially dangerous weapon continues to be deployed by police and federal agents for @MotherJones:
motherjones.com/criminal-jus…
"Our collection and analysis follow the Berkeley Protocol on Digital Open Source Investigations," said said Natacha Bracq of @HindRFoundation, regarding regarding their recent criminal filing in the UK against an Israeli soldier for alleged war crimes:
aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/2…
Human Rights Center retweeted
We were very glad to have Sam Klein-Markman, a student at @hrcberkeley, join #ProDESC. During his time with us, he supported territorial defense efforts led by Indigenous communities and ejidos, including work alongside the Mapuche-Williche communities in Chile in their efforts to hold Statkraft accountable.
Thank you, Sam, for sharing your work and your commitment to human rights!✊🏽
Read the full story here ⬇️
1/4 🧵 This summer, three @BerkeleyLaw students took human rights work from the classroom directly into the field as HRC student fellows! Here’s a look at how they helped protect vulnerable communities worldwide.
law.berkeley.edu/article/dif…
1/4 🧵 This summer, three @BerkeleyLaw students took human rights work from the classroom directly into the field as HRC student fellows! Here’s a look at how they helped protect vulnerable communities worldwide.
law.berkeley.edu/article/dif…
3/4 🗺️ Kate Reeves supported Indigenous communities in the Amazon using drones and digital mapping to track illegal mining and deforestation alongside FENAMAD.
4/4 ⛰️ Sam Klein-Markman worked with @ProDESC to help communities in Chile & Mexico challenge harmful development projects—including a hydropower dam on sacred Mapuche land.
Read the full story here!
law.berkeley.edu/article/dif…
"Climate-induced migration and displacement are not yet systematically integrated into state and regional adaptation planning," @betsy_popken told @politico. Check out the Q+A on climate displacement and migration. @Cal_LCI @oandbinstitute:
politico.com/newsletters/cal…
Human Rights Center retweeted
Three Berkeley Law students — 2L Sonali Dhawan, 2L Kate Reeves, and 3L Sam Klein-Markman — are among this year’s @hrcberkeley fellows. They recently gave powerful presentations about their recent fieldwork: bit.ly/48fLMn4 #BerkeleyLaw
Human Rights Center retweeted
Join us Nov. 7 for a VISUAL INVESTIGATION BREAKDOWN WORKSHOP ~ dxfest.com/conference/visual…
w/ @zachtoombs of Evident Media & @schellgcn of @hrcberkeley and @UCBerkeleyIRP, on how they revealed dangers of ‘less-lethal’ weaponry
#Policing #PoliceBrutality #PoliceAccountability
Ep. 1 of “Ten Years of HRC’s Investigations Lab” is out now! Here's @noahbullock of @Cristosal on how #OSINT can accelerate the documentation of persecution of human rights defenders in El Salvador.
🔗 youtube.com/watch?v=86Eno1At…
Stay tuned for Ep. 2 on investigating climate!
On Oct. 26, we're hosting "Inside China's Secret Prisons," a book talk w/Orville Schell & Adam Hochschild on China's prison camps, their Soviet roots & threats to journalists who investigate them.
📅 10/26
⌚️ 5:30 PM
📍Booth Auditorium @BerkeleyLaw
🔗 events.berkeley.edu/hrc/even…
Human Rights Center retweeted
Thanks to @aschell, @LpgMont, @KathleenQuinn & @CiceroPedrosa for all the hard work on this one.
And to the @UCBerkeleyIRP, @hrcberkeley & the @Rainforest_RIN for the support
4/5 The fight is far from won. Communities still lack formal land titles, and the Pastoral Land Commission has recorded at least four deaths, attempted murders and 14 death threats in the region. Many fear the presidential runoff could make securing their rights harder.
5/5 The case raises a question for the energy transition: whose land rights are secured before “clean” fuel plantations expand? Read in @guardian by HRC current + former staff/students @giselilla, Sasha Schell, @LpgMont + @KathleenQuinn, & Cícero Pedrosa: theguardian.com/global-devel…
1/5 Who pays the price for “clean” fuel? In Brazil’s Amazon, the palm oil biofuel boom has collided with quilombola communities who say the land is theirs. After decades of displacement, they’re fighting back. 🧵@guardian:
theguardian.com/global-devel…