The Dissident's Mic

Human Rights Foundation
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Politics

The Dissident’s Mic is a two-person interview series featuring timely, in-depth conversations about authoritarianism around the world. Hosted by HRF staff members Casey Michel and Chelsea Hedquist, each episode is driven by a central compelling question and grounded in the firsthand experiences of dissidents resisting authoritarian power.

Episodes

  1. Aug 19

    How Do Governments Use Sports to Launder Money?

    In this episode of The Dissident’s Mic, Casey Michel, director of HRF’s Combating Kleptocracy Program, sits down with Equatoguinean human rights lawyer and EG Justice Executive Director Tutu Alicante to discuss how authoritarian regimes use sports to launder their reputations, what soccer corruption reveals about the broader kleptocracy in Equatorial Guinea, and why players, journalists, and fans can still play a role in holding these networks accountable.

    How Do Governments Use Sports to Launder Money?

  2. Jul 22

    What Happens When You Run Against a Dictator?

    Félix Maradiaga knew Daniel Ortega would never allow a free and fair election in Nicaragua. He ran anyway. In 2021, the former presidential candidate challenged Ortega’s dictatorship to expose the regime’s sham election to the world. Instead, he was arrested, tortured, imprisoned for 611 days, and ultimately stripped of his citizenship. In this episode of The Dissident’s Mic, Casey Michel, Director of HRF’s Combating Kleptocracy Program, sits down with Nicaraguan political activist Félix Maradiaga to discuss his time as a political prisoner, why authoritarian regimes are increasingly working together to suppress dissent, and what gives him hope that democracy can still prevail.

    What Happens When You Run Against a Dictator?
  • 2 Episodes

About

The Dissident’s Mic is a two-person interview series featuring timely, in-depth conversations about authoritarianism around the world. Hosted by HRF staff members Casey Michel and Chelsea Hedquist, each episode is driven by a central compelling question and grounded in the firsthand experiences of dissidents resisting authoritarian power.

Information

  • Creator
    Human Rights Foundation
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    2
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Human Rights Foundation
  • Show Website
    The Dissident's Mic