FC Garvey

Politics, OSINT, human rights - and an excessive amount of coffee. UK Advocacy for @RSF_inter. Previously @Caabu. @Dept_of_POLIS Alumna. Views are mine alone.

[FC Garvey @fcgarv]

I’m thrilled to be stepping into this new role and working with Fiona at @RSF_inter. I am honoured to be able to contribute to RSF’s vital mission at this exciting time!

Can’t wait to get stuck in.

[Fiona O'Brien @fiona_obrien]

🚨I'm delighted to welcome @fcgarv to the @RSF_inter team, as UK Advocacy Officer based in London. With a new government just settling in, she couldn't have timed it better.

[The Kyiv Independent @KyivIndependent]

⚡️ Ukraine overtakes US, 6 EU countries in Press Freedom Index.

RSF attributed the improvement to Ukraine's "dynamic media sector and the investigative work carried out by Ukrainian outlets to strengthen transparency in the country's political life."
https://t.co/rXJDuqox9d

[FC Garvey @fcgarv]

An absolutely vital call to strengthen UK laws against SLAPPs as RSF's World Press Freedom Index, published today, shows that it is the legal indicator that has declined the most over the past year. A clear sign of the global threat posed by legal attacks against journalists.

[Lord (David) Alton @DavidAltonHL]

Following @HumanRightsCtte report on transnational repression- which calls for strengthening of laws against the use of SLAPPS that silence journalists and dissent- https://t.co/lIlzuXLAQF I have joined with more than 100 other members of @UKHouseofLords - led by @tinastowell - urging @Keir_Starmer to include this threat to freedom of speech in the forthcoming King’s Speech legislative programme @DesmondSwayne @alexsobel @HelenaKennedyKC @michaelgove @MShipworth @DavidLammy
@Billbrowder @BiancaJagger @sophiealichurch @LordSpeaker

[FC Garvey @fcgarv]

RSF World Press Freedom Index 2026.

The UK comes in at 18th this year - 2 places up - but its against the global backdrop of a horrifying decline in press freedom and a global increase in legal threats against journalism.

Check out our index below or at https://t.co/SpRSSgIm1z

[RSF @RSF_inter]

🔴 #RSFIndex2026 | RSF dévoile son Classement mondial de la liberté de la presse 2026 ! #JournéeDeLaLibertéDeLaPresse Thread⬇

[Foreign Policy Centre @FPCThinkTank]

🚨 UK launch of the 2026 Annual Report of the Council of Europe’s Safety of Journalists Platform at the #UKMFF2026
🗓️ 6 March | 15:30–15:50

Monitoring threats, media capture & #TransnationalRepression.

🔗 Register: https://t.co/9pXqUkWxLm

[FC Garvey @fcgarv]

A powerful call from Lord Alton last night, in light of the shameful verdict in Jimmy Lai's case. Reporters Without Borders is calling on democratic leaders worldwide to act immediately to secure the release of the 78-year-old British publisher: https://t.co/HQcfk6274O

[Lord (David) Alton @DavidAltonHL]

Last night in @UKHouseofLords
@hk_watch @thecfhk @Stand_with_HK @ipacglobal @Keir_Starmer @YvetteCooperMP @MPIainDS @HelenaKennedyKC @DavidLammy @timfarron @TomTugendhat @pritipatel @CitySamuel @bbclysedoucet @JohnSimpsonNews @benrileysmith @FraserNelson @michaelgove @DavidGHFrost @alexsobel @DesmondSwayne @HumanRightsCtte @hrw @SecRubio @CECCgov @BobFu4China @iguangcheng

8.11pm
Lord Alton of Liverpool
(CB)

My Lords, I first draw attention to my roles as a vice-chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hong Kong, as a patron of Hong Kong Watch and as chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, which published a report on transnational repression earlier this year and specifically called for China to be included in the advanced higher tier of the foreign influence registration scheme, referred to by the noble Earl, Lord Courtown. The noble Lord, Lord Oates, referred to Carmen Lau.

One of the witnesses we had before that committee was Chloe Cheung, who came to this country as a young girl of 14 years of age, and at 19 years of age had a bounty of 1 million Hong Kong dollars placed on her head along with Carmen Lau and other British residents.

This is a very serious situation, and I hope the Minister will respond to the point about FIRS when she comes to reply.

Jimmy Lai is a British citizen, and I know him and his family. I have immense admiration for his courage, honesty and integrity.

I fear that unless he is released, this outrageous conviction will prove to be a death sentence. Jimmy Lai’s only crime has been to speak the truth, to believe in democracy, to champion freedom and to defend the British-China treaty, which guaranteed “one country, two systems” and has been broken again and again.

What more are we doing to secure unhindered access to Jimmy Lai’s medics, pastor, consular officials and loved ones? Does the Minister agree that this sham trial has nothing to do with justice and resembles Lewis Carroll’s parody of nonsensical justice based on verdict first, trial later, with the outcome always a foregone conclusion?

Since Lenin introduced show trials in 1922, Stalin, Mao Tse-Tung and today’s CCP leaders have perfected a technique of gross judicial theatre to spread terror and to inculcate fear.

Does the Minister agree that the remaining British and Australian judges who lend respectability to these star chambers should follow Lord Sumption and remove themselves forthwith?

In Hong Kong, rule of law has been replaced by rule by law. What are we doing to raise the cases of hundreds of pro-democracy supporters, such as Joshua Wong and Andy Li, who continue to languish in CCP prisons, many on national security charges that range from the draconian to the ludicrous?

Will the Prime Minister please think again about going to China until Jimmy Lai has been released from these wretched prison conditions and allowed to leave and be reunited with his family?

[The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation @thecfhk]

Thank you @Keir_Starmer for following through on making #JimmyLai's case a priority. The fact the media was forced to leave the room perpetuates the darkness the CCP has thrown over #HongKong and #PressFreedom everywhere.

[RSF @RSF_inter]

Today is Alaa Abdel Fattah's 43rd birthday. Having completed his sentence, he should be celebrating with his family in the #UK, instead of spending yet another birthday in jail. We call on #Egypt to release him immediately and unconditionally. #FreeAlaa👇
https://t.co/k8TCd6qV7r

[English PEN @englishpen]

Today, as Alaa Abd el-Fattah spends yet another birthday in prison in Egypt, PEN colleagues around the world are continuing to call for his release.

#FreeAlaa @pen_int @FreedomForAlaa

[E. Eduardo Castillo @EECastilloAP]

Guatemalan court overturns order that freed journalist José Rubén Zamora, orders his return to jail (from @AP) By @lanegrisgt https://t.co/IqwCR7W4vL

[Nimer Sultany @NimerSultany]

There is an increasing consensus that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza because the evidence is overwhelming. Here is a reminder of some of the available and useful resources: An initial syllabus:

13 October 2023, Raz Segal, https://t.co/w5EktiPJHW

15 October 2023: Public Statement: Over 800 Scholars Warn of Potential Genocide in Gaza
https://t.co/LZqsP9DoF1

2 November: UN experts call to prevent genocide: https://t.co/k8VeScP20q

16 November: UN experts call to prevent genocide: https://t.co/dZnoqA2dtA

16 November, William Schabas: https://t.co/Q9oTXa4cpU

16 November: Holocaust and genocide scholars John Cox, Victoria Sanford, and Barry Trachtenberg declaration, https://t.co/lmu46XF7FF

29 December, South Africa submission to ICJ: https://t.co/29iEQZFBOO

29 May, South Africa's dossier of evidence of Israel's genocidal intent, the UN Security Council: https://t.co/2B7G5cgEyh

Martin Shaw, https://t.co/itCTK3qjW4

UN Expert Francesca Albanese, first report on the Genocide (March 2024): https://t.co/vbPULxoVWN

UN Expert Francesca Albanese, second report on the Genocide (October 2024): https://t.co/en3WkpPq8A…

John Quigley, “Legal Standard for Genocide Intent: An Uphill Climb for Israel in Gaza Suit”, 14 March, EJIL: https://t.co/nU9Xbdx5xh

UK Judges’ and Lawyers’ Open Letter Concerning Gaza, 3 April 2024: https://t.co/uPTO5zN20G

Jinan Bastaki, Gaza, Forced Displacement, and Genocide”, EJIL, April 2024, https://t.co/HvXIdiYPQr

Nimer Sultany, “A Threshold Crossed: On Genocidal Intent and the Duty to Prevent Genocide in Palestine”, May 2024: https://t.co/1ZH6tZdR9g

University Network for Human Rights report, May 2024: https://t.co/7XIgy2bYHS

Aryeh Neier, NYRB, 6 June 2024: https://t.co/yFkkayNhJN

UN Commission of Inquiry, 10 June: Detailed findings on the military operations and attacks carried out in the Occupied Palestinian Territory from 7 October to 31 December 2023: https://t.co/gsEWqUbz2P

Oxfam, Water War Crimes report, July 2024: https://t.co/vCr6Dt8AMV

Omer Bartov, 13 August: https://t.co/Zn0VG29rxW

Haaretz, “The Numbers Show: Gaza War Is One of the Bloodiest in the 21st Century”, 14 August: https://t.co/0xlBslwi5R

Maryam Jamshidi, On Genocidal Intent, August: https://t.co/ydV5MOlFrk

Forensic Architecture: cartographic analysis of the genocide in support of South Africa’s case in the ICJ: https://t.co/SS74LAGPTv…

AOAV analysis that shows that vast majority of killed in Gaza are civilians: https://t.co/j5W3OpbOD4

10 October 2024: UN Commission of Inquiry: Israel’s destruction of the health system in Gaza https://t.co/WKBbyiYrrq

8 November 2024: UN Commission of Inquiry: 70 percent of verified victims (October - 30 April) were children and women: https://t.co/3jEw0pQWaW

12 November 2024: 8 aid organisations of the systematic violation ICJ orders on humanitarian assistance, thereby establishing genocidal intent: https://t.co/1rg5KyOLus

14 November 2024: UN Special Committee Report https://t.co/laY40r7kDj

North Gaza:

9 October 2024: 18 Aid organisations warn of dramatic escalation of humanitarian catastrophe in northern Gaza: https://t.co/o3L8UnDhbV

15 October: 38 organisations: “Northern Gaza is being wiped off the map”: https://t.co/yMWzyIDeEQ

1 November: statement by 15 UN and humanitarian organisations: https://t.co/a1BKUHOGvq

[RSF @RSF_inter]

RSF is alarmed by a court decision in #Guatemala🇬🇹 that could see #JoseRubénZamora’s return to jail less than a month after his release to house arrest. The need for his full and unconditional release has never been more urgent - and he must be protected. #FreeZamora #ZamoraLibre

[RSF @RSF_inter]

📣 RSF welcomes the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention’s finding that Jimmy Lai is wrongfully detained and call for his immediate release. The 76 year-old publisher’s national security trial resumes next week in #HongKong. It’s time to #FreeJimmyLai!

https://t.co/hoxSnE16zG

[abby @abby4thepeople]

Unfortunately, my politics are rooted in a deep love for humanity and the exhausting belief that a better world is possible

[FC Garvey @fcgarv]

Brilliant initiative from @pen_int!

[PEN International @pen_int]

Today, PEN International launches the Day of the Imprisoned Writer campaign, calling for urgent global action to release and protect Jimmy Lai (Hong Kong), Alaa Abd el-Fattah (Egypt), Jose Rubén Zamora (Guatemala), and Kaciaryna Andrejeva (Belarus). Join us in standing with them and their families. Check the thread for ways to get involved.

#FreeJimmyLai #FreeAlaa #JoseRubénZamora  #KaciarynaAndrejeva

[PEN International @pen_int]

Today, PEN International launches the Day of the Imprisoned Writer campaign, calling for urgent global action to release and protect Jimmy Lai (Hong Kong), Alaa Abd el-Fattah (Egypt), Jose Rubén Zamora (Guatemala), and Kaciaryna Andrejeva (Belarus). Join us in standing with them and their families. Check the thread for ways to get involved.

#FreeJimmyLai #FreeAlaa #JoseRubénZamora  #KaciarynaAndrejeva

[Lord (David) Alton @DavidAltonHL]

Gov.declines to say it will make Jimmy Lai’s release from prison in Hong Kong & safe passage to the UK a precondition of any resumption of investment talks with the authorities but @JennyChapman says“Jimmy Lai’s case remains a priority for the Government"https://t.co/wu5A5CJKcC

[Lord (David) Alton @DavidAltonHL]

I asked the Government when it expects to introduce a new right of consular assistance in cases of human rights violations & raised the cases of Jimmy Lai in #HongKong and Alaa Abdel Fattah in #Eqypt - a blogger in jail for 10 years. @SupportJimmyLai @FreedomForAlaa

[Sangita Myska @SangitaMyska]

Foreign Secretary David Lammy is wrong when he implies that the legal definition of genocide is dependent on how many people from an ethnic group are killed. Numbers are irrelevant - it’s the intent plus the acts of the perpetrator that matter. See:Art II, UN Genocide Convention

[Chris Doyle @Doylech]

The entirety of Gaza is a disaster zone

[Maria Ressa @mariaressa]

“In a small country, you are never far from your enemies.” That's what @pcaruanagalizia wrote in his book: A DEATH IN MALTA about the fight against corruption, the death of Daphne Caruana Galizia, and her family's relentless fight for justice. So wonderful to see you in my part of the world, Paul - and to spend some time together. #UWRF24