In this episode of Called to the Bar: International Law Over Drinks, Ntina Tzouvala (UNSW) is joined by Dr Maria O’Sullivan (Deakin Law School) to unpack the legal frameworks governing the right to protest at a time of increasing global restriction.

Drawing on Maria’s research expertise - spanning international human rights law, domestic law, and public policy - the conversation explores how the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) protects freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and how those protections are being tested in practice. From escalating state violence to the proliferation of restrictive protest laws, the episode examines the widening gap between formal legal guarantees and lived realities on the ground.

The discussion also reflects on Maria’s broader career in international human rights law, the influence of key mentors, and the challenge of translating international legal norms into domestic contexts.

Recommendations:

Azadeh Dastyari, Maria O’Sullivan, International Law and the Regulation of Protest (2026) https://www.routledge.com/International-Law-and-the-Regulation-of-Protest/Dastyari-OSullivan/p/book/9781032863573

Music: Sam Barsh, Oils of au Lait