<![CDATA[The Dissident's Mic]]>fa276fa6-34ca-5976-99a7-ae47d7a7fb6dMon, 14 Sep 2026 16:42:19 +0000Captivate.fmHuman Rights Foundationhttps://artwork.captivate.fm/2829510f-f319-4d8d-a851-ed7ef031c53a/Dissident-s-Mic-Cover-Art.pngThe Dissident's MicHuman Rights FoundationHuman Rights FoundationThe Dissident's Mic is a two-person interview series featuring timely, in-depth conversations about authoritarianism around the world. Hosted by Casey Michel, director of HRF's Combatting Kleptocracy program and a proud member of Putin's "blacklist," and Chelsea Hedquist, head of communications strategy at HRF. Each episode is driven by a central compelling question and grounded in the firsthand experiences of dissidents resisting authoritarian power.https://hrf.org/podcast/the-dissident-mic/falseepisodicnopodcastHow Do Governments Use Sports to Launder Money?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.

]]>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.

]]>1668995b-ae85-4638-904d-abc481773407Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:00:00 +010036:44falsefull22What Happens When You Run Against a Dictator?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.

]]>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.

]]>31002591-a501-46b2-966f-9ac5ff9124e4Wed, 22 Jul 2026 15:00:00 +010036:57falsefull11