Earth Live interviews Terry Collingsworth of International Rights Advocates. Terry focuses on litigating international human rights cases and leading evidence-gathering missions in countries that commit, allow or condone human rights abuses.
In 2005, Terry sued Nestle and Cargill on behalf of six children who were trafficked, enslaved and forced to harvest cocoa for the cocoa industry. Despite, the Court of Appeals ruling twice that the case should go forward, the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review Nestle and Cargill’s request that corporations should be granted immunity under international law for human rights violations. The argument is set for December 1, 2020.
In 2019, Terry sued Apple, Tesla, Google, Dell and Microsoft under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVRPA) for the injury and death of 16 children in mines supplying cobalt from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Terry provides a brief history of the Alien Tort Statute of 1789, offers advice to corporations that may be at risk, and announces upcoming litigation against several cocoa processors and chocolate manufacturers.
You can learn more about Terry's work and make a donation by visiting his website here.