Abstract

Cambridge University Amnesty International will be hosting a debate on the 17th October to discuss whether human rights activism should remain apolitical. Through this discussion, we plan to explore the question of whether it is possible for human rights campaigns to remain apolitical, and whether an apolitical stance is desirable in the modern age of human rights activism. This will be part of a broader term of events focussing on the political aspects of human rights advocacy.

We are delighted to announce that we have five amazing speakers who will each bring their own perspective on the question. This includes Angela Patrick, a qualified barrister specialising in human rights law; Dr Çubukçu and Dr Palmer, both specialists in law and the legal aspects of human rights; Dr Sharath Srinivasan, director of the Centre of Governance and Human Rights at Cambridge; and Julian Huppert, the former MP for Cambridge and previous member of the Joint Committee on Human Rights and an activist from Amnesty International.