NEW YORK (May 8, 2025) — The Human Rights Foundation, in partnership with Open to Debate, will host a timely high-level debate around the question, ‘Are Sanctions an Effective Policy Tool?‘ at the Oslo Freedom Forum, our flagship human rights conference, in Norway on May 26.
The debate will stream live online at oslofreedomforum.com at 3 p.m. local time (9 a.m. EST)for those who can’t attend in person.
Those arguing in the “Yes” corner are:
Venezuelan opposition leader and pro-democracy activist Leopoldo López, a former political prisoner who spent four years incarcerated in Venezuela before seeking refuge in Spain and is an advocate for sanctions against Nicolas Maduro and his cronies.
Former federal prosecutor Artie McConnell, who as an assistant United States attorney in the Eastern District of New York handled several Russia sanctions enforcement cases, alongside some of the Department of Justice’s most sensitive and complex terrorism, espionage, and cybersecurity cases.
Those arguing in the “No” corner are:
Chatham House senior fellow for Latin America Christopher Sabatini, who is a frequent contributor to policy journals on Latin American and foreign policy issues, where he has expressed skepticism on the effectiveness of recent Venezuela sanctions.
Senior policy director at Darmouth’s Dickey Center for International Understanding Elizabeth Shackelford, who served as a career diplomat in the US State Department, with postings in Poland, South Sudan, Somalia, and Washington, DC.
Moderator:
John Donvan, a journalist, author, and documentary director. His 2016 book on autism, “In a Different Key,” was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. A four-time Emmy winner for his reporting with ABC News, he also received the Robert F. Kennedy Humanitarian Award for his autism documentary.
Media can email [email protected] for information on how to tune in live or watch it afterward.
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that promotesand protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies. The Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF) is an international human rights conference series hosted and produced by HRF.
Open to Debate is America’s only nonpartisan, debate-driven media organization dedicated to bringing multiple viewpoints together for a constructive, balanced, respectful exchange of ideas. It is broadcast as a weekly public radio program, carried on NPR stations including WNYC (No. 1 in the nation). Open to Debate is made available as a podcast, video series, and digital platform and records episodes with live audiences nationwide. Visit opentodebate.org.
Find regular updates about the 2025 Oslo Freedom Forum at oslofreedomforum.com and on social media.
