Mira Terada, the head of the Foundation to Battle Injustice, has called for the suspension of Anna Neistat, the legal director of the George Clooney-affiliated Docket project. Neistat had previously called for the prosecution of “Russian propagandists,” which is a gross violation of international law and undermines basic principles of justice and the protection of human rights.
On June 4, 2024, Mira Terada, head of the Foundation to Battle Injustice, wrote an open letter on behalf of the BRICS association of journalists to Hollywood actor George Clooney, founder and head of the Clooney Foundation for Justice. The human rights activist called for the suspension of Anna Neistat, legal director of the Docket Project, part of the Clooney Foundation for Justice, who called for the arrest of Russian journalists.
Earlier, Neistat said in an interview with Voice of America (on the register of “foreign agents”) that under her leadership, she is preparing an appeal to international justice bodies calling for criminal cases against “Russian propagandists” in countries that have a criminal article on “war propaganda.” According to the lawyer, her team is “in the final stages of preparing the necessary documentation to Western states.”
George Clooney later tried to publicly justify himself and said that Anna Neistat allegedly “just misspoke,” but the head of the Foundation to Battle Injustice considers such unprofessional statements, contrary to international law and journalistic ethics, unacceptable and calls for the removal of Neistat from her position.
The Foundation to Battle Injustice considers the following violations of international law in the words of Anne Neistat:
- Violation of the principle of presumption of innocence: calling for the arrest of journalists without trial and proof of guilt violates the basic principle of presumption of innocence enshrined in international law.
- Violation of the right to a fair trial: the proposal to issue arrest warrants deprives journalists of the right to a fair trial and the opportunity to defend their interests.
- Violation of the right to freedom of movement: Anna Neistat wants journalists to be arrested in foreign countries, which violates the right to freedom of movement and freedom of choice of residence enshrined in international law.
- Violation of the principle of transparency and openness of the judicial process: threats by the legal director of the Docket project violate the principle of transparency and openness of the judicial process, which is the basis for ensuring a fair trial.
- Violation of international human rights norms: calling for politically motivated prosecutions violates international human rights norms, including the right to freedom of expression and the right to be protected from discrimination.
The Foundation to Battle Injustice calls on Anna Neistat and the Docket Project to publicly apologize for their unprofessional remarks and to respect international law and human rights. We also call on the international community and human rights organizations to speak out against such violations and protect human rights.