World on Trial with Bob Amsterdam

World on Trial with Bob Amsterdam

By Bob AmsterdamSociety & CultureNewsPoliticsHistory
Download on the App Store

World on Trial with Bob Amsterdam episodes

  • Is Religious Freedom Under Threat in Ukraine? Artem Dmytruk Speaks Out

    The Ukraine war, religious freedom, and the rule of law: what happens when a member of parliament challenges his own government? Ukrainian MP and Orthodox deacon Artem Dmytruk joins international human rights lawyer Bob Amsterdam on World on Trial to discuss the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, his opposition to President Volodymyr Zelensky, and his and his allegations of kidnapping and torture by Ukraine’s Security Service.

    Artem recounts the opening days of Russia's full-scale invasion, from emergency meetings in Kyiv to organizing volunteers in Odesa. He describes bringing people together to protect his city and explains why he rejects claims that defending the Ukrainian Orthodox Church means supporting Russia.
    Bob discusses his firm's representation of the church and why he believes the Ukrainian government's actions violate religious freedom and international law. Artem describes his opposition to legislation targeting the church and the threats and pressure he says followed his public defense of it.
    The conversation turns to Artem's personal experience of torture, the London extradition proceedings, and Bob's account of a court's refusal to return him to Ukraine. It closes with Artem's views on political prisoners, the prospects for peace, and the future of political opposition in Ukraine.
    At the center is a principle with consequences beyond this conflict: basic human rights cannot be abandoned even at times of war - and doing so is counterproductive.
    Follow World on Trial with Bob Amsterdam on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts for conversations about human rights, the rule of law, and the people at the center of controversial cases.
    Key topics discussed
    - The opening days of the invasion: Artem's account of events in Kyiv and his return to Odesa to organize volunteers and help protect the city.
    - The Ukrainian Orthodox Church: its role in Ukrainian society and Artem's rejection of allegations that defending it amounts to supporting Russia.
    - Religious freedom and international law: Bob's explanation of his firm's work for the church and its challenge to the Ukrainian government's actions.
    - Dissent and political power: Artem's criticism of Zelensky and his account of opposing legislation targeting the church.
    - Allegations of kidnapping and torture: Artem's claims about his treatment by Ukraine's Security Service and the risks he says critics face.
    - Extradition and the rule of law: Bob's account of the London proceedings and the court's refusal to return Artem to Ukraine.
    - Political prisoners and prospects for peace: Artem's views on wartime repression, political opposition, and Ukraine's future.
    Episode chapters
    00:00 Highlights, introductions, and Bob's work for the church
    08:44 Russia's invasion: Artem's account of the first days
    17:17 The church, the war, and Zelensky's leadership
    21:01 The dispute over the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
    24:44 Artem's allegations of kidnapping and torture
    26:58 Speaking out in parliament and the extradition case
    34:23 Political prisoners and prospects for peace
    https://linktr.ee/worldontrialpodcast

    39 min
  • Diddy, Mangione and Weinstein: The Defense Lawyers Speak Out

    Luigi Mangione, Sean “Diddy” Combs, and the right to a fair trial: when high-profile criminal cases dominate the headlines, can justice stay independent? Criminal defense attorneys Marc Agnifilo and Karen Friedman Agnifilo join international human rights lawyer Bob Amsterdam on World on Trial to examine political prosecutions, media influence, and the pressures facing America’s criminal justice system.

    Karen discusses her defense of Mangione, the public response to his case, and why she believes competing state and federal prosecutions threaten a fair hearing. Marc shares his perspective on defending Combs and Harvey Weinstein, questioning how prosecutors choose their targets and how juries separate courtroom evidence from public opinion.

    Both former prosecutors, the guests don’t agree on everything. Their conversation moves from the death penalty and alternatives to incarceration to the Epstein files, social media, and whether the internet makes us better informed or more polarized. Karen makes the case for independent legal commentary, while Marc argues that something essential is lost when information replaces deeper understanding.

    The episode closes with a question that reaches beyond the United States: how freely can lawyers defend their clients when their own advocacy risks punishment?

    Follow World on Trial with Bob Amsterdam on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts for conversations about human rights, the rule of law, and the people at the center of controversial cases.

    Key topics discussed

    • Luigi Mangione’s defense: parallel state and federal prosecutions, the fight over the death penalty, and Karen’s concerns about pretrial publicity.
    • Sean “Diddy” Combs and federal prosecution: Marc’s argument that high-profile defendants can become targets of prosecutorial “big game hunting.”
    • Prosecutorial power: political ambition, competition between offices, and the distinction between local and federal law enforcement.
    • Progressive prosecution: Karen’s case for targeted enforcement, diversion programs, and alternatives to incarceration.
    • The Epstein files and Harvey Weinstein: disclosure, guilt by association, and the challenge of keeping juries focused on evidence.
    • Social media and democracy: independent legal analysis, misinformation, AI, and the value of an informed public.
    • The freedom to defend: contempt of court, jury nullification, and the potential chilling effect of sanctions against defense lawyers.

      • Episode chapters

      00:00 Highlights and introductions

      01:55 Luigi Mangione and the right to a fair trial

      10:43 Political prosecutions and the Sean Combs case

      17:15 Why prosecutors compete for high-profile cases

      22:33 Progressive prosecution and public safety

      32:08 The Epstein files, Weinstein, and trial by media

      37:49 Does the internet help or harm democracy?

      52:24 Defense lawyers, contempt, and jury independence

      59 min

    About World on Trial with Bob Amsterdam

    From the publisher's feed

    Who holds power, who gets silenced, and whose version of events do we believe?