In 2023 only a bit less than 200 people managed to flee North Korea and resettle in South Korea. For years the most isolated country in the world has been blocking its citizens from traveling abroad and restricting journeys within its territory. Escaping this oppressive regime is not only very expensive but also extremely dangerous. Many North Korean women are being sold as sex slaves or as brides to Chinese men. Fleeing North Korea also puts the lives of others at risk. The regime introduced a system known as "Three Generations of Punishment," which means that if one family member is found guilty of a political crime, their parents, children, and even grandchildren can also face imprisonment or exile to forced labor camps.

EPISODE GUESTS: Sokeel Park (Director of Research & Strategy and South Korea Country Director for Liberty in North Korea (LiNK)

EDUCATE YOURSELF: 

LiNK's website: https://libertyinnorthkorea.org/

Donate to North Korean freedom: https://libertyinnorthkorea.org/donate 

Sign up as an ally of North Korean people: https://www.withthenorthkoreanpeople.org/ 

LiNK's documentary about North Korean youth and social change: https://youtu.be/lvsqpwI_IfU?si=wiUpWt9ZfigV9bQb

LiNK's Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LibertyinNorthKorea/featured

LiNK's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/libertyinnorthkorea/

PRODUCTION FAMILY:

Co-hosts: Rasheed Ghalli, Sonia Nandzik-Herman

Production Family: 

Sude Fazlollah, Eli Fazlollah, Dawoud Nouri, Rasheed Ghalli, Anastasiia Dukhovna, Valeriia Yamska Oleksandr Levandovskyy

Citizen Journalists: 

Yaser Taheri, Milad Ebrahimi, Yaser Akbari, Naqib Rasuli, Mohammad Ali Alami

Mentorship: Douglas Herman 

Producers: Sonia Nandzik-Herman, Douglas Herman 

Graphic Design: Eli Fazlollah Drone Footage: Oleksandr Levandovskyy
"Fractured" is an original production of ReFOCUS Media Labs 

(@refocusmedialabs on all social media platforms) 

For more designs by Eli on the Women Life Freedom movement go to: ⁠https://refocusmedialabs.org/our-shop⁠ 

SPECIAL THANKS:

To the extended ReFOCUS Family for their dedication, passion and creativity all year long. We’re not where we are today without all the effort from Florian Krauer, Louise Holm, Chryssa Kouroukli, Yaiza Pardinas, Matthew Goncalves O’Kelly, Jennifer Perez, Jule Pehnt, Majid Bakhshi, Nazanin Foroghi, Yaser Akbari, Dariia Stepanova, Paul “Al” Simon, Jaime Moro Saavedra, Joëlle Hübscher, Beni Rietmann, Jakob Mayr, Jurek Edel, Francisco Ibanez, Bart Van Son, Federico, and Myriam Rey.

OUR PARTNERS:

Choose Love, Allianz Foundation, Leave No One Behind, Europe Cares, Parea Center Lesvos, Aputure

MUSIC: 

Theme- "Intro for Legends" by Bonkers Beat Club (Epidemic Sound) 

Additional- "Mogul" by Blue Steel (Epidemic Sound) 

SUPPORT: 

This podcast is the product of our ReFOCUS citizen journalism program 

Donate to support the artists and journalists by visiting: ⁠https://refocusmedialabs.org 

CONTACT: 

Thoughts or questions about this episode; 

Suggestions for topics we can cover later in the season? 

Contact: ⁠[email protected]

In the early morning of June 14, 2023, a severely overcrowded fishing trawler capsized close to Pylos in southern Greece leading to the death of more than 600 people. It had started its journey from Libya five days earlier with an estimated 750 migrants and asylum seekers, including children. Only 104 of those onboard survived and 82 bodies were recovered. Survivors interviewed by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch pointed to the actions of the Hellenic Coast Guard as a potential cause of the tragedy.

Nine months after this tragedy three parallel court cases and several inquiries are taking place but nobody has been named responsible for the shipwreck.  

EPISODE GUESTS:Bill Van Esveld, Associated Director at Human Rights Watch

"Fractured" is an original production of ReFOCUS Media Labs 

(@refocusmedialabs on all social media platforms) 

CORRECTION: Adriana capsized on June 14th 2023, not 2013 as claimed at 01:49

PRODUCTION FAMILY:

Co-hosts: Rasheed Ghalli, Sonia Nandzik-Herman

Production Family: 

Sude Fazlollah, Eli Fazlollah, Dawoud Nouri, Rasheed Ghalli

Citizen Journalists: 

Yaser Taheri, Milad Ebrahimi, Yaser Akbari, Naqib Rasuli, Mohammad Ali Alami

Mentorship: Douglas Herman 

Producers: Sonia Nandzik-Herman, Douglas Herman 

Graphic Design: Eli Fazlollah Drone Footage: Oleksandr Levandovskyy

For more designs by Eli on the Women Life Freedom movement go to: ⁠https://refocusmedialabs.org/shop⁠ 

SPECIAL THANKS:

To the extended ReFOCUS Family for their dedication, passion and creativity all year long. We’re not where we are today without all the effort from Florian Krauer, Louise Holm, Chryssa Kouroukli, Yaiza Pardinas, Matthew Goncalves O’Kelly, Jennifer Perez, Jule Pehnt, Majid Bakhshi, Nazanin Foroghi, Yaser Akbari, Dariia Stepanova, Paul “Al” Simon, Jaime Moro Saavedra, Joëlle Hübscher, Beni Rietmann, Jakob Mayr, Jurek Edel, Francisco Ibanez, Bart Van Son, Federico, and Myriam Rey.

OUR PARTNERS:

Choose Love, Allianz Foundation, Leave No One Behind, Europe Cares, Parea Center Lesvos

MUSIC: 

Theme- "Intro for Legends" by Bonkers Beat Club (Epidemic Sound) 

Additional- "Mogul" by Blue Steel (Epidemic Sound) 

SUPPORT: 

This podcast is the product of our ReFOCUS citizen journalism program 

Donate to support the artists and journalists by visiting: ⁠https://refocusmedialabs.org 

CONTACT: 

Thoughts or questions about this episode; 

Suggestions for topics we can cover later in the season? 

Contact: ⁠[email protected]

Live from Syntagma Square, Athens, GR (24.02.24)

On the second anniversary of Russia’s full scale invasion on Ukraine we join the Ukrainian community in Greece as they march through the streets of Athens to remind the world that there is an unprovoked and unfair war happening in Europe right now. In our first field episode this season our guests highlight that the war started not two but ten years ago and even though Russia seems a much stronger side of the conflict, it cannot end any other way but with Ukrainian victory. 

Episode’s guests:

- Spiro Markou

- Anastasiia Dukhovna

- Eva Zafeir

- Olga Petrova

- Alexandros Kessaanopoulos

- Tatiana Kolesnichenko

Check out other Fractured episodes on this topic:

S02E03: Bravery: Made in Ukraine

One year since Russia’s full-scale invasion

S01E04: From Lviv, UA- Special Report-

Don’t Ask Me About My Family, My Family is Now 44 Million

S01E02: Leaving Ukraine- Special Report- from PL-UA Border

S01E01: Afghanistan and Ukraine6 months of Taliban;

New refugee crisis looming?

"Fractured" is an original production of ReFOCUS Media Labs 

(@refocusmedialabs on all social media platforms) 

PRODUCTION FAMILY:

Co-hosts: Rasheed Ghalli, Douglas Herman

Production Family: 

Sude Fazlollah, Eli Fazlollah, Dawoud Nouri, Rasheed Ghalli, Anastasiia Dukhovna, Valeriia Yamska Oleksandr Levandovskyy

Citizen Journalists: 

Yaser Taheri, Milad Ebrahimi, Yaser Akbari, Naqib Rasuli, Mohammad Ali Alami

Mentorship: Douglas Herman 

Producers: Sonia Nandzik-Herman, Douglas Herman 

Graphic Design: Eli Fazlollah

Drone Footage: Aleksandr Levandovskyy

For more designs by Eli on Slava Ukrainii go to: ⁠https://refocusmedialabs.org/shop⁠ 

SPECIAL THANKS:

To the extended ReFOCUS Family for their dedication, passion and creativity all year long. We’re not where we are today without all the effort from Florian Krauer, Louise Holm, Chryssa Kouroukli, Yaiza Pardinas, Matthew Goncalves O’Kelly, Jennifer Perez, Jule Pehnt, Majid Bakhshi, Nazanin Foroghi, Yaser Akbari, Dariia Stepanova, Paul “Al” Simon, Jaime Moro Saavedra, Joëlle Hübscher, Beni Rietmann, Jakob Mayr, Jurek Edel, Francisco Ibanez, Bart Van Son, Federico, and Myriam Rey.

OUR PARTNERS:

Choose Love, Allianz Foundation, Leave No One Behind, Europe Cares, Parea Center Lesvos

MUSIC: 

Theme- "Intro for Legends" by Bonkers Beat Club (Epidemic Sound) 

Additional- "Mogul" by Blue Steel (Epidemic Sound) 

SUPPORT: 

This podcast is the product of our ReFOCUS citizen journalism program 

Donate to support the artists and journalists by visiting: ⁠https://refocusmedialabs.org 

CONTACT: 

Thoughts or questions about this episode?

Suggestions for topics we can cover later in the season? 

Contact: ⁠[email protected]

An investigation by Solomon collective in collaboration with research group Lighthouse Reports, Der Spiegel, ARD, British newspaper "i", Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty, and esteemed academics captures the neglect of authorities to document deaths of asylum seekers on the Balkan route. 

In this episode of Fractured we speak to Stavros Malichudis who investigated the deaths on the Balkan route to learn how difficult the body identification process is, how little resources are put into the proper documentation of the ones who died, and how much families of the deceased struggle to learn what happened to their loved ones.   

Check out other “Fractured” episodes on this topic:

S02E11: EU’s Forgotten Border- Situation at the Bulgarian-Turkish border 

S02E09: Identifying the Unidentifiable- Forensic Missing Migrant Initiative

S01E06: Even After Death, Part 1

S01E08: Even After Death, Part 2

Also, watch the trailer of “Even After Death” documentary 

produced by ReFOCUS Media Labs and Minority Rights Group, Intl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB7WEMvC_dU

If you’re interested in organizing a screening get in touch: [email protected]

Production: ReFOCUS Media Labs (@refocusmedialbs on all social media platforms)

Hosts: Rasheed Ghalli, Sonia Nandzik-Herman

Production Family: Sude Fazlollah, Eli Fazlollah, Dawoud Nouri, Rasheed Ghalli

Mentorship: Douglas Herman

Producers: Sonia Nandzik-Herman, Douglas Herman

Graphic Design: Eli Fazlollah

3D-Design for ReFOCUS Promo Video: Sam Gualtieri Special Guest: Stavros MalichudisChief Editor, Journalist- Solomon @wearesolomon www.wearesolomon.com

SPECIAL THANKS:To the extended ReFOCUS Family for their dedication, passion and creativity all year long. We’re not where we are today without all the effort from Florian Krauer, Louise Holm, Chryssa Kouroukli, Yaiza Pardinas, Matthew Goncalves O’Kelly, Jennifer Perez, Jule Pehnt, Majid Bakhshi, Nazanin Foroghi, Yaser Akbari, Dariia Stepanova, Paul “Al” Simon, Jaime Moro Saavedra, Joëlle Hübscher, Beni Rietmann, Jakob Mayr, Jurek Edel, Francisco Ibanez, Bart Van Son, Federico, and Myriam Rey.OUR PARTNERS:Choose Love, Allianz Foundation, Leave No One Behind, Europe Cares, Parea Center Lesvos, One Happy Family, Minority Rights Group, Intl

Music: Intro for Legends by Bonkers Beat Club and Mogul by Blue Steel on Epidemic Sound

HOW YOU CAN HELP:For designs by Eli Fazlollah visit our shop: ⁠https://refocusmedialabs.org/shop⁠Get in touch: ⁠[email protected]⁠

In this episode of Fractured we do our best to understand how the Greek education system works or doesn’t work for refugee minors. It’s been several years since the beginning of the so-called refugee “crisis”, and even though many refugee minors are enrolled in schools, it doesn’t mean that they receive the same education as Greek children. Many remain confused by how the system really works, what they are actually entitled to, leading many to drop out.The topic of this episode has been brought to our attention by a member of our community Dawoud Nouri, who as an unaccompanied minor with refugee status, has experienced the Greek education system in practice. To add to his experience we invited Elena Moustaka - a founder of Better Days and director of Gekko Schools, winner of the 5th annual Global Entreps Awards as one of the 100 Best Practices in the world on Sustainability (UN SDGs).

Production: ReFOCUS Media Labs (@refocusmedialbs on all social media platforms)

Hosts: Rasheed Ghalli, Douglas Herman

Production Family: Sude Fazlollah, Eli Fazlollah, Dawoud Nouri, Rasheed Ghalli, Sonia Nandzik-Herman

Mentorship: Douglas Herman

Producers: Sonia Nandzik-Herman, Douglas Herman

Graphic Design: Eli Fazlollah

3D-Design for ReFOCUS Promo Video: Sam Gualtieri 

SPECIAL THANKS:To the extended ReFOCUS Family for their dedication, passion and creativity all year long. We’re not where we are today without all the effort from Florian Krauer, Louise Holm, Chryssa Kouroukli, Yaiza Pardinas, Matthew Goncalves O’Kelly, Jennifer Perez, Jule Pehnt, Majid Bakhshi, Nazanin Foroghi, Yaser Akbari, Dariia Stepanova, Paul “Al” Simon, Jaime Moro Saavedra, Joëlle Hübscher, Beni Rietmann, Jakob Mayr, Jurek Edel, Francisco Ibanez, Bart Van Son, Federico, and Myriam Rey.OUR PARTNERS:Choose Love, Allianz Foundation, Leave No One Behind, Europe Cares, Parea Center Lesvos,

Music: Intro for Legends by Bonkers Beat Club and Mogul by Blue Steel on Epidemic Sound

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

For designs by Eli go to: ⁠https://refocusmedialabs.org/shop⁠

Get in touch: ⁠[email protected]⁠

In this episode of Fractured we do our best to understand how the Greek education system works or doesn’t work for refugee minors. It’s been several years since the beginning of the so-called refugee “crisis”, and even though many refugee minors are enrolled in schools, it doesn’t mean that they receive the same education as Greek children. Many remain confused by how the system really works, what they are actually entitled to, leading many to drop out.The topic of this episode has been brought to our attention by a member of our community Dawoud Nouri, who as an unaccompanied minor with refugee status, has experienced the Greek education system in practice. To add to his experience we invited Elena Moustaka - a founder of Better Days and director of Gekko Schools, winner of the 5th annual Global Entreps Awards as one of the 100 Best Practices in the world on Sustainability (UN SDGs).

Production: ReFOCUS Media Labs (@refocusmedialbs on all social media platforms)

Hosts: Rasheed Ghalli, Douglas Herman

Production Family: Sude Fazlollah, Eli Fazlollah, Dawoud Nouri, Rasheed Ghalli, Sonia Nandzik-Herman

Mentorship: Douglas Herman

Producers: Sonia Nandzik-Herman, Douglas Herman

Graphic Design: Eli Fazlollah

3D-Design for ReFOCUS Promo Video: Sam Gualtieri 

SPECIAL THANKS:To the extended ReFOCUS Family for their dedication, passion and creativity all year long. We’re not where we are today without all the effort from Florian Krauer, Louise Holm, Chryssa Kouroukli, Yaiza Pardinas, Matthew Goncalves O’Kelly, Jennifer Perez, Jule Pehnt, Majid Bakhshi, Nazanin Foroghi, Yaser Akbari, Dariia Stepanova, Paul “Al” Simon, Jaime Moro Saavedra, Joëlle Hübscher, Beni Rietmann, Jakob Mayr, Jurek Edel, Francisco Ibanez, Bart Van Son, Federico, and Myriam Rey.OUR PARTNERS:Choose Love, Allianz Foundation, Leave No One Behind, Europe Cares, Parea Center Lesvos,Music: Intro for Legends by Bonkers Beat Club and Mogul by Blue Steel on Epidemic Sound

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

For designs by Eli go to: ⁠https://refocusmedialabs.org/shop⁠

Get in touch: ⁠[email protected]⁠

From a perspective of global conflict and intense suffering, 2023 has certainly been a year to say farewell to. But for us at ReFOCUS, we also have to look back on all we’ve achieved, especially within the evolution of our Fractured podcast.

In this final episode of 2023, our core team discusses the topics that were most impactful as well as upcoming episodes and wishes for the coming year of production. From the one year anniversary of the #Women_Life_Freedom movement in Iran, to earthquake relief efforts in Herat, Afghanistan to Trans-rights in Africa and Greece to critical updates from Lesvos, Greece “Fractured” continued to bring important and under-reported stories and voices to the forefront of discussion. We’re deeply proud of the collective effort our community put forth to launch our podcast into new territory. As our director and lead editor Sude Fazlollah put it, “now we have a face” when celebrating our effort to film our bi-weekly episodes for YouTube and Spotify. After a brief holiday break we’ll be back with a new episode in mid-January, so until then Happy Holidays to all our listeners, viewers, guests, partners and supporters who make this programming possible.

Production: ReFOCUS Media Labs (@refocusmedialbs on all social media platforms)

Host: Rasheed Ghalli

Production team: Sude Fazlollah, Eli Fazlollah, Dawoud Nouri, Rasheed Ghalli, 

Mentorship: Douglas Herman

Producers: Sonia Nandzik-Herman, Douglas Herman

Graphic Design: Eli Fazlollah

3D-Design for ReFOCUS Promo Video: Sam Gualtieri 

SPECIAL THANKS to the extended ReFOCUS Family for their dedication, passion and creativity all year long. We’re not where we are today without all the effort from Florian Krauer, Louise Holm, Chryssa Kouroukli, Yaiza Pardinas, Matthew Goncalves O’Kelly, Jennifer Perez, Jule Pehnt, Majid Bakhshi, Nazanin Foroghi, Yaser Akbari, Dariia Stepanova, Paul “Al” Simon, Jaime Moro Saavedra, Joëlle Hübscher, Beni Rietmann, Jakob Mayr, Jurek Edel, Francisco Ibanez, Bart Van Son, Federico, and Myriam Rey.OUR PARTNERS:Choose Love, Allianz Foundation, Leave No One Behind, Europe Cares, Parea Center Lesvos,Music: Intro for Legends by Bonkers Beat Club and Mogul by Blue Steel on Epidemic Sound

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

For designs by Eli go to: ⁠https://refocusmedialabs.org/shop⁠

Get in touch: ⁠[email protected]⁠

According to the UNHCR there are currently around 4400 asylum seekers on Lesvos. Even though every month more than one thousand people are transferred to the mainland, more people keep coming. The island has been the hub of the so-called “refugee crisis” for years now, and nothing indicates a change in this matter. Even though Lesvos is no longer in the center of media attention, the conditions in Mavrovouni camp are far from perfect and the dysfunctional asylum procedure shows more and more gaps.

In this episode of Fractured we dive deep into the situation on Lesvos with Silvia Lucibello from Europe_Cares who coordinates Parea Community Center, and Lorraine Leete from Legal Centre Lesvos.

FOLLOW OUR GUESTS:

@parea.lesvos

@europe_cares

@legalcenterlesvos

Production: ReFOCUS Media Labs (@refocusmedialbs on all social media platforms)

Hosts: Sonia Nandzik-Herman, Rasheed Ghalli

Production team: Sude Fazlollah, Eli Fazlollah, Dawoud Nouri, Rasheed Ghalli, 

Mentorship: Douglas Herman

Producers: Sonia Nandzik-Herman, Douglas Herman

Graphic design: Eli Fazlollah

Music: Intro for Legends by Bonkers Beat Club and Mogul by Blue Steel on Epidemic Sound

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Donate to ReFOCUS: ⁠https://refocusmedialabs.org/donate⁠

Donate to Parea: https://www.europecares.org/donate

Donate to Legal Centre Lesvos: https://www.paypal.com/donate?campaign_id=N4NU5QA8F4MQC

For designs by Eli go to: ⁠https://refocusmedialabs.org/shop⁠

Get in touch: ⁠[email protected]⁠

According to the UNHCR there are currently around 4400 asylum seekers on Lesvos. Even though every month more than one thousand people are transferred to the mainland, more people keep coming. The island has been the hub of the so-called “refugee crisis” for years now, and nothing indicates a change in this matter. Even though Lesvos is no longer in the center of media attention, the conditions in Mavrovouni camp are far from perfect and the dysfunctional asylum procedure shows more and more gaps.

In this episode of Fractured we dive deep into the situation on Lesvos with Silvia Lucibello from Europe_Cares who coordinates Parea Community Center, and Lorraine Leete from Legal Centre Lesvos.

FOLLOW OUR GUESTS:

@parea.lesvos

@europe_cares

@legalcenterlesvos

Production: ReFOCUS Media Labs (@refocusmedialbs on all social media platforms)

Hosts: Sonia Nandzik-Herman, Rasheed Ghalli

Production team: Sude Fazlollah, Eli Fazlollah, Dawoud Nouri, Rasheed Ghalli, 

Mentorship: Douglas Herman

Producers: Sonia Nandzik-Herman, Douglas Herman

Graphic design: Eli Fazlollah

Music: Intro for Legends by Bonkers Beat Club and Mogul by Blue Steel on Epidemic Sound

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Donate to ReFOCUS: ⁠https://refocusmedialabs.org/donate⁠

Donate to Parea: https://www.europecares.org/donate

Donate to Legal Centre Lesvos: https://www.paypal.com/donate?campaign_id=N4NU5QA8F4MQC

For designs by Eli go to: ⁠https://refocusmedialabs.org/shop⁠

Get in touch: ⁠[email protected]⁠

How many layers of discrimination can one person carry? Yuli, the guest of our latest episode, says that she holds the worst possible combination in the world: “black, trans, sex worker.” On top of that she is a refugee and struggles with stigma related to that fact that she had to flee her home. In a very honest conversation with us, Yuli and Moran from Safe Place International reveal all issues related to those multiple discriminations in Greece.

FOLLOW OUR GUESTS:

@safeplaceintl

@positivevoicegr

@gmoraan@madamkikimadamkiki

Production: ReFOCUS Media Labs (@refocusmedialbs on all social media platforms)

Hosts: Sonia Nandzik-Herman, Rasheed Ghalli

Production team: Sude Fazlollah, Eli Fazlollah, Dawoud Nouri, Rasheed Ghalli, Majid Bakhshi

Mentorship: Douglas Herman

Producers: Sonia Nandzik-Herman, Douglas Herman

Graphic design: Eli Fazlollah

Music: Intro for Legends by Bonkers Beat Club and Mogul by Blue Steel on Epidemic Sound

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

To support this podcast and ReFOCUS citizen journalism program go to: ⁠https://refocusmedialabs.org/donate⁠

For designs by Eli go to: ⁠https://refocusmedialabs.org/shop⁠
Get in touch: ⁠[email protected]⁠