In Part Two, Dr. William Saunders continues his conversation with Dr. Robert Royal on the escalating attacks on Christians in Nigeria. They argue the violence is driven not merely by economic or environmental factors, but primarily by religious extremism.

They also examine corruption, weak governance, and Western reluctance to confront the religious dimension of the crisis, while noting that Christians remain the primary targets of the violence.

Resources mentioned in the episode:The Catholic Thing: https://www.thecatholicthing.org/

Dr. Royal's new book: https://sophiainstitute.com/product/the-martyrs-of-the-new-millennium/

Dr. Royal's article: https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2025/10/27/of-muslim-cowherds-catholic-martyrs-and-institutional-decline/

Letter signed by Dr. Saunders and Dr. Royal: https://humanrights.catholic.edu/nigeria-as-a-country-of-particular-concern/

Aid to the Church in Need: https://www.churchinneed.org/

As the Chinese Communist Party prepares for its annual Two Conventions, a “sensitive time” begins across the country.

In this episode, Chen Guangcheng reveals how activists are disappeared from Beijing, petitioners are hunted down, and families are locked inside their homes under constant surveillance. The message is clear: dissent will not be tolerated.

In Part One of this interview series, Dr. William Saunders speaks with Dr. Robert Royal, President of the Faith & Reason Institute and Editor-in-Chief of The Catholic Thing, about the escalating violence against Christians in Nigeria.

They examine why the violence cannot be dismissed as mere economic or tribal conflict, but must be recognized as targeted anti-Christian violence. With more Christians killed in Nigeria than in the rest of the world combined, the crisis demands serious international attention. The conversation also addresses the U.S. designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and why diplomatic pressure still matters.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

The Catholic Thing

Dr. Royal's new book

Dr. Royal's article

Letter signed by Dr. Saunders and Dr. Royal

Aid to the Church in Need

At 78 years old, Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison under trumped up charges brought by the Chinese Communist Party.

In this episode, Chen Guangcheng reflects on Lai’s life story, Hong Kong’s shifting legal system and press freedoms, and the broader crackdown on activists. Guangcheng also considers what role international pressure and economic leverage could play in securing Lai’s release.

In part two of our interview, 2025 Human Rights Essay Contest first-place winner Zofia Joynt continues her conversation with Dr. William Saunders, director of The Catholic University of America’s Center for Human Rights.

Zofia explores why “totalitarianism… tries to control everything” and how this fuels the CCP’s persecution of the Uyghurs, Falun Gong practitioners, Catholics, and other religious minorities. Zofia explains how advocacy, vigilance in trade, and persistent international pressure can keep these issues on the world’s agenda—and offer hope to those suffering under China’s communist regime.

Click here to read Zofia Joynt's Award Winning Essay: https://humanrights.catholic.edu/defending-human-dignity-in-the-face-of-the-ccp/

Discover part one of our interview with Zofia Joynt, first-place winner of the 2025 Human Rights Essay Contest hosted by the Catholic University of America’s Center for Human Rights.

Dr. William Saunders, Director of the Center, sits down with Zofia to discuss her award-winning essay, which examines human dignity, totalitarianism, and the abuses carried out by the Chinese Communist Party. Together, they explore themes from Centesimus Annus, highlight ongoing human rights violations in China, and reflect on what U.S. leadership should do in response.

Click here to read Zofia Joynt's Award Winning Essay: https://humanrights.catholic.edu/defending-human-dignity-in-the-face-of-the-ccp/

Part 2 coming soon!

In this episode of The Barefoot Lawyer Reports on China, Chen Guangcheng shares alarming updates about several longtime friends and fellow human rights lawyers targeted by the CCP.

Guangcheng reflects on the suffering of Li Heping, Li Boguang, and Li Subin—men who faced black jails, mysterious forced medication, torture, and suspicious illnesses after their activism. Their stories reveal the brutal methods the CCP uses to silence those who defend the vulnerable.

In this episode of The Barefoot Lawyer Reports on China, Chen Guangcheng dives into the recent news of Maduro's capture and the vulnerability it exposes in the Chinese Communist Party. From the actions in Venezuela to growing unrest in Iran, he explains how these crises affect China and its leadership.

Guangcheng also sheds light on how ordinary Chinese people are seeing through CCP propaganda and quietly pushing for freedom and human rights. He discusses China’s reliance on foreign oil and the challenges the regime faces in a changing world.

In this episode of The Barefoot Lawyer Reports on China, Chen Guangcheng highlights a surge of pro-democracy posters and public slogans appearing across several provinces, explaining what these growing acts of resistance reveal about public frustration with the CCP. He also highlights farmers in Hunan who are pushing back against forced agricultural policies.

The episode further explores Xi Jinping’s recent meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, including the political stakes around tariffs, trade, and rare earth metals. Guangcheng offers insight into how these negotiations shape China’s global strategy and what they could mean for the future of U.S.–China relations.

In this part two, Raleigh Adams, first-place winner of the 2025 Human Rights Essay Contest, expands on the principle that “at the center of our response must be an affirmation of human dignity,” exploring how concrete measures—like transparency laws and civic education—must be anchored in that moral truth.

Together, she and Dr. William Saunders explore why dignity is the “moral backbone” of any authentic human rights framework and highlights the rising impact of civic education centers across the country.

Click here to read Raleigh Adams' Award Winning Essay: https://humanrights.catholic.edu/renewing-the-moral-ecology-of-freedom/