International human rights lawyer. Former @savechildrenaus, @justicecentrehk, @DFAT, @thelawcouncil. Own views.
Tokyo, Japan
Joined July 2015
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It was an honour to represent @LawSocietyNSW with Kirk McKenzie last week to provide evidence to the NSW Parliament public hearing on the Human Rights Bill 2025. 1/3
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A central value of human rights legislation is the way it embeds a process to consider #humanrights when making legislation, policies, and decisions.
I spoke to how it could develop a human rights culture in the public service and help to engage with civics & #ruleoflaw. 2/3
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I look forward to the Committee's report, which I hope will reflect an intent to move towards a Human Rights Act for NSW.
@LawSocietyNSW's submission is available here: lawsociety.com.au/publicatio…. 3/3
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Simon Henderson retweeted
🚨Today, #HongKong activist Joshua Wong has been sentenced to 10 years behind bars for ‘foreign collusion’ in his second national security case.
Advocating for freedom and democracy is not a crime. International governments must call out this flagrant political prosecution and press for his immediate and unconditional release.
#FreeJoshuaWong
hongkongwatch.org/all-posts/…
Simon Henderson retweeted
Joshua Wong is one of the faces of Hong Kong’s new generation of democracy advocates. Detained since November 2020, he faces sentencing on 5 November. Please remember him. Don’t let him be forgotten.
Photo: Studio Incendo / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F…
Simon Henderson retweeted
🚨 #HongKong activist Joshua Wong will be sentenced on Thursday after pleading guilty to ‘foreign collusion’, which carries a maximum penalty of life behind bars.
Imprisoned since 2020, he was originally due for release in January 2027. The international community must take concerted action to secure his freedom.
#FreeJoshuaWong
hongkongfp.com/2026/11/03/ja…
Yesterday, I joined a packed house in Tokyo for a viewing of 10 Years. Released in 2015, the film is a speculative take on what 2025 in #HongKong would look like.
Thank you to @Amnesty_China, Ka-Leung NG, @hksamyip & all involved in putting it on.
Simon Henderson retweeted
Opening also for on-line participants.
2 Nov on the future of peace operations. @Lacroix_UN @elghassimw, Prof. Paul Williams, Col. Watanabe, and Dr.Tanaka-Sakabe. #peacekeeping In-person registration from the QR code. On-line registration can be from here:
u-tokyo-ac-jp.zoom.us/.../WN…
Australia has offered little beyond private words as #Japan & @IntlCrimCourt have faced US sanctions.
#Australia should publicly defend the #ICC, support its partners & show it can withstand US pressure.
Thank you @LowyInstitute for publishing my views.
lowyinstitute.org/the-interp…
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Simon Henderson retweeted
The #ICC thanks the European Parliament @Europarl_EN for awarding the Court and its officials the 2026 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, at a time when the Court and its officials face unprecedented challenges.
Simon Henderson retweeted
ウイグル人の今を知り
私たちにできることを一緒に考えましょう！
ウイグルパネル展・上映会・街頭活動
静岡市初開催 決定しました！！
🖼️パネル展
11月7日（土）8日（日）
10:00〜17:00
静岡市女性会館（アイセル21）
3階展示コーナー
🎥上映会
静岡市女性会館（アイセル21）
11月7日（土）
11:00〜12:00 4階 43集会室
14:00〜15:00 4階 43集会室
11月8日（日）
11:00〜12:00 4階 44集会室
14:00〜15:00 1階 11集会室
アイセル21交通アクセス
JR静岡駅北口10番のりば
県立病院線 アイセル21前下車
aicel21.jp/access/
📣街頭活動
11月7日（土）
11:00〜13:00
JR静岡駅北口広場
自由と人権を求めるウイグルの人々の叫びにを聴き
私たちに問いかけてくること・できることを
共に考えましょう！！
#日本ウイグル協会 #ウイグルパネル展in静岡 #静岡駅 #アイセル21
Australia's response to the US' efforts to dismantle the @IntlCrimCourt has been underwhelming.
While adding Australia's name to this joint statement is positive, more can and should be done to publicly demonstrate support for the #ICC and international law.
Australia joins statement criticising Trump Administration's attempts to dismantle the ICC "brick by brick"- three days after it was issued. Aus says it wasn't invited to join first statement. But international lawyers say govt's response was "sluggish"
abc.net.au/news/2026-10-14/a…
Simon Henderson retweeted
I urge the US not to follow the Islamic State, Hamas, the Taliban and Iran in holding public executions
Simon Henderson retweeted
Four years ago today, a man in Beijing, #PengLifa, staged a protest against COVID restrictions & for freedom.
His brave actions sparked a wave of protests across China
In case you wonder why you hadn’t heard more about him, here was the collective punishment the #CCP meted out:
#彭立发 四通桥抗议四周年
2022年10月13日，他在北京四通桥悬挂横幅，呼吁自由、尊严与公民权利，随后被警方带走。
2025年7月，据昨天@YesterdayBigcat披露，彭立发被秘密判刑9年，消息尚无法独立核实。
当局应公开其羁押地点及案件详情，确保他能与家人联系，并获得自己选择的律师提供的法律协助。
Simon Henderson retweeted
米政府がついにICC組織全体への制裁を発表しました。
以下のイベントでは具体的に、私達市民と日本政府に何ができるのかを討議します。
残席わずかです、お早めにご登録下さい。
国際司法を制裁からどう守るか
― 国際刑事裁判所（ICC）関係者への制裁と「法の支配」をめぐって ―
2026年10月14日（水）18:00–20:00、オンライン公開フォーラムを開催します。
国際刑事裁判所（ICC）の裁判官・職員らへの制裁は、個々の制裁措置にとどまらず、国際司法の独立や「法の支配」をどのように支えるのかという問題を提起しています。
今回のフォーラムでは、
米国政治・外交から見るICC関係者への制裁、
制裁の法的構造と国際法秩序への含意、
外国制裁への対抗立法、
日本政府への働きかけ・市民社会の実践、
さらに、日本にどのような制度的・外交的対応が可能なのか、
を、研究者・実務家がそれぞれの専門から議論します。
登壇者（敬称略）
根岸陽太／三牧聖子／篠田英朗／藤原泉／伊藤和子（予定）／須網隆夫／橋本直子。
このイベントは、国際司法を支える専門家ネットワーク
「BRIJ（ブリッジ：Building Resilient International Justice）」の最初の公開企画です。
研究者と実務家、国際司法と国内制度、法と外交・政策をつなぎながら、国際司法を支えるために何ができるのかを考えていきます。
日時｜2026年10月14日（水）18:00–20:00
開催｜オンライン（Zoom）
参加｜無料・要申込
申込はこちら
forms.gle/qNZakP8hy3TaLjqp6
ぜひご参加・ご共有ください。
#国際司法 #国際法 #国際刑事裁判所 #ICC #法の支配 #RuleOfLaw #InternationalJustice #BRIJ
ICC President Tomoko Akane on the expansive new US sanctions against the @IntlCrimCourt:
"Seeking to obstruct a court of law from fulfilling its judicial mandate is unacceptable. It is an attack against sovereign states that have created the court."
The ICC strongly rejects US sanctions against the institution:
🎥 Video Statement by the President of the #ICC, Tomoko Akane
Learn more ➡️ icc-cpi.pulse.ly/kyrbe2l43a
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Simon Henderson retweeted
様々なパックグラウンドのスピーカーにご登壇いただきます。ぜひご参加ください！
１０月２８日（水）１８時００分～２０時００分
2026年度シンポジウム
「「ビジネスと人権」推進の新たな局面
指導原則から中小・地域企業の現場へ」
nichibenren.or.jp/event/year…
Simon Henderson retweeted
Jia Pin (贾榀), an activist who had been disappeared for four years, reemerges saying that he had been sentenced to four years in prison.
Of course, that’s good news, but worrying (and suspicious) that someone could be gone for so long without a trace.
nchrd.org/2023/08/china-rele…
Simon Henderson retweeted
This is huge! Very significant. Not only the additional arrest warrants which are significant but also the analysis of persecution on the grounds of gender and its application to the policies and practices of the Taliban.
icc-cpi.int/news/icc-pre-tri…
Simon Henderson retweeted
1/ South Korea is furious at Ukraine, yesterday summoned its top diplomat and demanded an apology.
The offence? Kyiv revealed Seoul had taken in two North Korean POWs.
A country fighting Russia is now Seoul's diplomatic target.
The real story is Korean politics. A thread:
My latest for the Guardian: Why is South Korea so angry with Ukraine over two North Korean prisoners of war?
theguardian.com/world/2026/s…
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