Steve Swerdlow
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steveswerdlow.bsky.social
Steve Swerdlow
@steveswerdlow.bsky.social
Human rights lawyer, Associate Professor of the Practice of Human Rights, Dept. of Pol. Science & Int'l Relations @usc.edu Former @hrw.org. Central Asia, Caucasus, Ukraine, Eurasia.
Thank you @civilnet.bsky.social for interviewing me (in Russian) regarding the fate of #Armenian #POWs in #Azerbaijan & the need for accountability for #warcrimes: “У Трампа есть рычаги давления на Баку: санкции — один из них”: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbuh...
“У Трампа есть рычаги давления на Баку: санкции — один из них”
YouTube video by CIVILNET
www.youtube.com
October 21, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Thx @emwilder.bsky.social @dropsitenews.com for speaking with me & shining a light on how #Armenia's fragile peace with #Azerbaijan adds further precarity to the lives of more than 150,000 ethnic Armenians displaced from #NagornoKarabakh.
August 27, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Reposted by Steve Swerdlow
My most watched interview is with Yaroslav—a Brooklyn-raised, Ukrainian-born soldier who returned to fight for his homeland.

He’s not here for talk of concessions. To him, giving up land means giving up people. Watch the full interview: Terrell J Starr Official.
Ukrainian Soldier: Trump Thinks Putin Is His Friend. He’s Not.
YouTube video by Terrell Starr
youtu.be
August 25, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Reposted by Steve Swerdlow
Maksym Butkevych, a human rights activist, pacifist turned soldier and former POW, tells me about the day Russian forces captured him and the torture he endured.

Watch this powerful testimony ahead of Friday’s full interview release.
Ukrainian Soldier Recalls Day He was Captured By Russians
YouTube video by Terrell Starr
youtu.be
August 26, 2025 at 1:58 PM
“Nothing More Than a Piece of Paper”: Armenians Displaced From Nagorno-Karabakh Say New Peace Accord With Azerbaijan Abandons Rights and Accountability (w/ comments from your truly) www.dropsitenews.com/p/armenia-az...
“Nothing More Than a Piece of Paper”: Armenians Displaced From Nagorno-Karabakh Say New Peace Accord With Azerbaijan Abandons Rights and Accountability
Trump’s gestural peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan ignores the conflict’s main victims from Nagorno-Karabakh and excludes their right to return home.
www.dropsitenews.com
August 27, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Reposted by Steve Swerdlow
This is my first post on Bluesky. A big NO to the use of incendiary weapons in populated areas. South Sudan: Incendiary Bombs Kill, Burn Civilians www.hrw.org/news/2025/04...
South Sudan: Incendiary Bombs Kill, Burn Civilians
South Sudan’s use of improvised air-dropped incendiary weapons has killed and horrifically burned dozens of people, including children, and destroyed civilian infrastructure in Upper Nile state.
www.hrw.org
April 10, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Reposted by Steve Swerdlow
Several lawsuits have challenged the Trump administration’s attempt to shutter Voice of America, a media outlet established by Congress to provide accurate news.

@paulthedogman.bsky.social examines the suits, arguing that some of the plaintiffs’ legal arguments are stronger than others.
Unpacking the Voice of America Litigation
Recent rulings by federal judges provide templates for opposing the destruction of congressionally-created agencies like the Voice of America.
www.justsecurity.org
April 10, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Amid Calls to Reform Bail, Judges in St. Louis Embrace Ankle Monitors www.nytimes.com/2025/04/10/u...
St. Louis Judges Embrace Ankle Monitors Amid Calls to Reform Bail
Proponents say the devices have helped address inequities in the criminal justice system. But many defendants have experienced unintended consequences.
www.nytimes.com
April 10, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Honored to be moderating this important discussion tonight at LA's Holocaust Museum - RSVP in the link below to join online - in one hour: "Building Bridges: Jewish and Armenian Legacies After Genocide," www.holocaustmuseumla.org/event-detail...
Building Bridges: Jewish and Armenian Legacies After Genocide | Holocaust Museum LA
In honor of Armenian Heritage Month, join us for a conversation with grandchildren of Armenian Genocide survivors and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors.
www.holocaustmuseumla.org
April 4, 2025 at 12:02 AM