1 00:00:11,378 --> 00:00:18,685 >>> NEARLY EVERYONE IN UKRAINE IS A WITNESS. >> THIS IS ACTUALLY THE LOCATION WHERE THE WOMAN WAS KILLED. 2 00:00:18,752 --> 00:00:24,057 >> WHICH IS HELPING A DATA MINING OPERATION IN EUROPE EXPOSE APPARENT RUSSIAN WAR CRIMES. 3 00:00:24,124 --> 00:00:30,096 >> I FEEL IT'S ALMOST MY DUTY THAT WHEN WE'RE FACED WITH ALL THIS INFORMATION SHOWING TERRIBLE THINGS THAT ARE 4 00:00:30,163 --> 00:00:35,001 HAPPENING, IS TO PULL IT OUT THERE. IT DOES INVOLVE RISK. BUT THEN DEFENDING LIBERTY, 5 00:00:35,068 --> 00:00:42,242 HUMAN RIGHTS, DEMOCRACY INVOLVES TAKING RISKS. IT'S WHEN WE STOP TAKING RISKS AND WE LET THE FEAR TAKE HOLD 6 00:00:42,308 --> 00:00:52,952 THAT WE SEE DEMOCRACY DIE. >>> GOOD AFTERNOON, BROTHERS. OUR WORK IS TO HELP PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE LAWYERS TO ACCESS 7 00:00:53,019 --> 00:00:59,159 JUSTICE. >> THIS SOFT-SPOKEN 37-YEAR-OLD LAWYER FOUNDED AN ORGANIZATION CALLED JUSTICE DEFENDERS, A 8 00:00:59,225 --> 00:01:09,636 GROUP THAT SO FAR HAS TRAINED HUNDREDS OF INCARCERATED MEN AND WOMEN IN PRISONS IN AFRICA TO BECOME PARALEGALS AND LAWYERS. 9 00:01:09,702 --> 00:01:16,376 [ APPLAUSE ] THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN ASTOUND ASTOUNDING. ♪ 10 00:01:16,443 --> 00:01:24,884 >>> OLGA SMIRNOFFA IS A RUSSIAN PRIMA BALLERINA, ONE OF THE WORLD'S LEADING DANCERS. BUT DAYS AFTER RUSSIA INVADED 11 00:01:24,951 --> 00:01:32,158 UKRAINE SMIRNOVA PIROUETTED AND STEPPED OFF HER STAGE AT THE RENOWNED BOLSHOI THEATER WITH DRAMATIC FLOURISH. 12 00:01:32,225 --> 00:01:42,035 >> I WAS SO ASHAMED OF RUSSIA. THIS IS THE TRUE. I'M NOT ASHAMED THAT I'M RUSSIAN, BUT I'M ASHAMED BECAUSE 13 00:01:42,101 --> 00:01:50,376 OF RUSSIA STARTED THIS ACTION. >> AIM LESLIE STAHL. >> I'M BILL WHISKER. >> I'M ANDERSON COOPER. 14 00:01:50,443 --> 00:02:04,757 >> I'M SHARON ALFONSI. >> I'M JON WE RTHEIM. >> I'M SCOTT >>> THE WAR CRIMES IN UKRAINE 15 00:02:04,824 --> 00:02:12,599 ARE AMONG THE WORST OF THE 21st CENTURY. BUT THEY ARE JUST THE LATEST IN A HISTORY OF ASSASSINATIONS AND 16 00:02:12,665 --> 00:02:19,939 MASS MURDER AT THE HANDS OF RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN. WE KNOW THIS IN LARGE PART 17 00:02:20,006 --> 00:02:31,851 THANKS TO A TEAM OF ONLINE DATA DETECTIVES THAT CALLS ITSELF BELLINGCAT. SINCE 2014 BELLINGCAT'S 18 00:02:31,918 --> 00:02:36,389 INVESTIGATIONS HAVE EXPOSED RUSSIA'S UNDERCOVER HIT SQUADS AND TIED RUSSIAN TROOPS TO ATROCITIES. 19 00:02:36,456 --> 00:02:41,160 SUFFICE TO SAY THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT DENIES EVERYTHING YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE IN THIS STORY. 20 00:02:41,227 --> 00:02:49,536 BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE BELLINGCAT COMES IN. AS WE FIRST REPORTED IN MAY, BELLINGCAT'S FOUNDER, ELIOT 21 00:02:49,602 --> 00:03:00,179 HIGGINS, HAS CREATED A METHOD OF MINING ONLINE DATA AND SOCIAL MEDIA TO PUT THE LIE TO DISINFORMATION AND UNMASK 22 00:03:00,246 --> 00:03:05,084 VLADIMIR PUTIN. >> I FEEL IT'S ALMOST MY DUTY THAT WHEN WE'RE FACED WITH ALL THIS INFORMATION SHOWING 23 00:03:05,151 --> 00:03:09,455 TERRIBLE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, IS TO PULL IT OUT THERE. IT DOES INVOLVE RISK. 24 00:03:09,522 --> 00:03:16,329 BUT THEN DEFENDING LIBERTY, HUMAN RIGHTS, DEMOCRACY INVOLVES TAKING RISKS. IT'S WHEN WE STOP TAKING RISKS 25 00:03:16,396 --> 00:03:23,136 AND WE LET THE FEAR TAKE HOLD THAT WE SEE DEMOCRACY DIE. >> WE CAN SEE A RUSSIAN ARMORED COLUMN -- 26 00:03:23,202 --> 00:03:31,744 >> Reporter: WE MET ELIOT HIGGINS IN APRIL IN LONDON AS BELLINGCAT WAS BUILDING A DATA BASE OF SOCIAL MEDIA EXPOSING 27 00:03:31,811 --> 00:03:40,053 APPARENT WAR CRIMES IN UKRAINE. EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS OF ATTACKS ON NEIGHBORHOODS, ASSAULTS ON HOSPITALS, AND MURDERS OF 28 00:03:40,119 --> 00:03:46,960 CIVILIANS ARE BEING COLLECTED AND PUBLISHED ON BELLINGCAT'S WEBSITE FOR ALL TO SEE. >> THIS IS ACTUALLY THE LOCATION 29 00:03:47,026 --> 00:03:54,367 WHERE THE WOMAN WAS KILLED. >> Reporter: NEARLY EVERYONE IN UKRAINE IS A WITNESS WITH A CAMERA. 30 00:03:54,434 --> 00:04:03,776 BELLINGCAT IS COMBINING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS TO MAKE THEM SEARCHABLE BY PLACE AND TIME. 31 00:04:03,843 --> 00:04:10,617 >> AND WE LOOK AT AS MANY SOURCES AS POSSIBLE AND USE THOSE SOURCES TO BUILD A PICTURE OF WHAT HAPPENED. 32 00:04:10,683 --> 00:04:14,587 VIDEOS, PHOTOGRAPHS, SATELLITE IMAGERY. THEN WE LOOK AT THE WITNESS STATEMENTS AND THE VARIOUS 33 00:04:14,654 --> 00:04:21,260 ALLEGATIONS MADE BY EITHER SIDE. >> Reporter: LOCATIONS AND TIMES ARE CORROBORATED WITH INDEPENDENT SOURCES, INCLUDING 34 00:04:21,327 --> 00:04:29,769 SATELLITE IMAGES AND GOOGLE STREET VIEW. THE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE VERIFIED EVIDENCE FOR FUTURE CRIMINAL 35 00:04:29,836 --> 00:04:32,939 TRIALS. >> IT ALSO MEANS WE'RE COLLECTING AN ARCHIVE OF MATERIAL THAT FOR FUTURE 36 00:04:33,006 --> 00:04:38,544 GENERATIONS THEY CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT THIS MATERIAL. IT'S OFTEN SAID THAT HISTORY IS WRITTEN BY THE VICTORS. 37 00:04:38,611 --> 00:04:45,218 BUT IT'S BEING WRITTEN NOW AND IT'S BEING PRESERVED NOW. >> Reporter: UKRAINE IS THE BIGGEST PROJECT IN BELLINGCAT'S 38 00:04:45,284 --> 00:04:52,325 SHORT CAREER. HIGGINS STARTED BELLINGCAT IN 2014 AS SORT OF AN ACCIDENTAL ACTIVIST. 39 00:04:52,392 --> 00:04:57,397 >> I WAS NOT SOMEONE WITH A PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND. I WAS DOING THIS MERELY AS A HOBBY. 40 00:04:57,463 --> 00:05:04,470 >> WHAT WERE YOU DOING FOR A LIVING AT THE TIME? >> I WAS WORK FORGET A COMPANY THAT HOUSED REFUGEES IN THE UK. 41 00:05:04,537 --> 00:05:08,775 I THEN WORKED FOR A COMPANY THAT MANUFACTURED PIPES. AND THEN A COMPANY THAT MANUFACTURED LINGERIE. 42 00:05:08,841 --> 00:05:16,616 SO I HAD A WIDE RANGE OF EXPERIENCE BUT NOTHING THAT WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO CONFLICT. >> Reporter: ON HIS OFF HOURS 43 00:05:16,683 --> 00:05:27,093 THE CONFLICT IN SYRIA FASCINATED HIM, ESPECIALLY HOW SOCIAL MEDIA WAS EXPOSING ATROCITIES THERE. YOU FOUND YOUR CALLING. 44 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:31,030 >> INDEED I DID. >> Reporter: BUT HIS SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH BEGAN WITH A FAIRY TALE. 45 00:05:31,097 --> 00:05:38,671 >> WHERE DOES THE NAME COME FROM? >> SO BELLINGCAT COMES FROM THE NAME OF A FABLE, BELLING THE 46 00:05:38,738 --> 00:05:43,142 CAT, AND IT'S ABOUT A GROUP OF MICE WHO ARE VERY SCARED OF A VERY LARGE CAT. SO THEY HAVE A MEETING AND THEY 47 00:05:43,209 --> 00:05:47,547 DECIDE TO PUT A BELL ON THE CAT'S NECK. BUT THEN THEY REALIZE THAT NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO DO IT AND NO 48 00:05:47,613 --> 00:05:54,020 ONE IS WILLING TO VOLUNTEER TO DO IT. SO WHAT WE'RE TEACHING PEOPLE TO DO IS BELL THE CAT. 49 00:05:54,087 --> 00:06:01,294 >> Reporter: HIGGINS BELLED HIS FIRST PREDATOR IN 2014 WHEN RUSSIA WENT TO WAR IN EASTERN UKRAINE. 50 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:09,569 MALAYSIAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 17 WAS HIGH OVER UKRAINE ON ITS WAY TO ASIA WHEN A MISSILE BROUGHT IT DOWN. 51 00:06:09,635 --> 00:06:18,311 298 WERE KILLED. EVERYONE DENIED RESPONSIBILITY. BUT HIGGINS NOTICED IN THE HOURS BEFORE THE SHOOTDOWN THERE WERE 52 00:06:18,377 --> 00:06:27,787 MANY SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS FROM BYSTANDERS WHO SAW A MISSILE LAUNCHER ON A FLATBED TRAILER TRAVELING IN EASTERN UKRAINE. 53 00:06:27,854 --> 00:06:35,828 >> WE STARTED DISCOVERING SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS OF PEOPLE WHO HAD SEEN THE MISSILE LAUNCHER BEING TRANSPORTED AND WE ALSO HAD 54 00:06:35,895 --> 00:06:39,565 SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS OF PEOPLE SAYING THERE'S A ROCKET THAT'S JUST BEEN SHOT UP THIS DIRECTION. 55 00:06:39,632 --> 00:06:44,437 AND WE COULD ACTUALLY USE THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILES TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY LIVED. >> Reporter: OTHER POSTS WERE 56 00:06:44,504 --> 00:06:50,176 WRITTEN BY RUSSIAN SOLDIERS HOME SICK FOR FAMILY. >> ON TOP OF THIS BUILDING. >> Reporter: HIGGINS FOUND CLUES 57 00:06:50,243 --> 00:06:56,949 IN EACH IMAGE. BILLBOARDS, BUILDINGS, ROAD SIGNS. THAT LET HIM FIX THE LOCATION 58 00:06:57,016 --> 00:07:05,658 AND TIME OF EACH POST. WHEN HE ARRANGED ALL OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA INTO A TIMELINE, HE COULD RUN THE CONVOY BACKWARD TO 59 00:07:05,725 --> 00:07:12,331 ITS STARTING POINT. >> USING ALL THOSE VIDEOS, WE WERE ABLE TO TRACE IT ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE MILITARY BRIGADE 60 00:07:12,398 --> 00:07:16,335 IT CAME FROM, THE 53rd AIR DEFENSE BRIGADE. >> IN RUSSIA. >> IN RUSSIA. 61 00:07:16,402 --> 00:07:23,810 AND WE USED THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILES, THE SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AND EVERYONE AROUND THEM, TO RECONSTRUCT 62 00:07:23,876 --> 00:07:29,916 BASICALLY THEIR NETWORK ONLINE. WHICH MEANT WE COULD GET THEIR NAMES, THEIR RANKS, THEIR PHOTOGRAPHS, SEE WHO WAS IN THAT 63 00:07:29,982 --> 00:07:35,221 CONVOY AND WHO TRAVELED TO THE BORDER. SO THAT ALLOWED US TO PROVE THAT RUSSIA HAD PROVIDED THE MISSILE 64 00:07:35,288 --> 00:07:44,230 LAUNCHER THAT SHOT DOWN MH-17. >> Reporter: BELLINGCAT PUBLISHED ITS FINDINGS, AND RUSSIA IMPOSED A NEW LAW. 65 00:07:44,297 --> 00:07:50,536 >> THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT PASSED A SPECIFIC LAW BANNING SOLDIERS FROM CARRYING MOBILE DEVICES DURING HOSTILITIES. 66 00:07:50,603 --> 00:07:56,442 WHICH IS DUBBED IN RUSSIA THE BELLINGCAT LAW. >> Reporter: CRISTO GROZEV IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF 67 00:07:56,509 --> 00:08:05,785 BELLINGCAT, LEADING ITS 30 FULL-TIME RESEARCHERS. HIS PERSONAL FOCUS HAS BEEN ON RUSSIAN POLITICAL 68 00:08:05,852 --> 00:08:10,323 ASSASSINATIONS. >> WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT HOW VLADIMIR PUTIN OPERATES? >> WHAT WE HAVE FOUND OUT IS 69 00:08:10,389 --> 00:08:18,297 THAT NONE OF THESE CRIMES COULD HAVE BEEN PERPETRATED WITHOUT VLADIMIR PUTIN BEING IN THE KNOW AND NOT ONLY AWARE BUT APPROVING 70 00:08:18,364 --> 00:08:26,372 OF ALL OF THESE CRIMES. SO IN A NUTSHELL, WHAT WE FOUND OUT IS THAT PUTIN IS OPERATING AN INDUSTRIAL-SCALE 71 00:08:26,439 --> 00:08:33,346 ASSASSINATION PROGRAM ON HIS OWN PEOPLE. >> Reporter: BELLINGCAT'S NEXT BIG PROJECT, THE RUSSIAN 72 00:08:33,412 --> 00:08:41,654 ASSASSINATION PROGRAM, STARTED IN 2018 AFTER A RUSSIAN DEFECTOR AND HIS DAUGHTER LIVING IN BRITAIN WERE POISONED WITH A 73 00:08:41,721 --> 00:08:50,329 MILITARY-GRADE NERVE AGENT. THE BRITISH HAD PASSPORT PHOTOS AND FALSE NAMES OF TWO SUSPECTS BUT NOTHING ELSE. 74 00:08:50,396 --> 00:08:57,169 GROZEV KNEW THAT RUSSIA'S GOVERNMENT AND COMMERCIAL RECORDS ARE FOR SALE ON AN ONLINE BLACK MARKET. 75 00:08:57,236 --> 00:09:07,513 SO WITH THE FAKE NAMES HE BOUGHT THE SUSPECTS' PASSPORT RECORDS. >> THE PASSPORT NUMBERS ON THE TWO PASSPORTS WERE ITEM EXCEPT 76 00:09:07,580 --> 00:09:10,883 FOR THE LAST DIGIT. >> THE LAST DIGIT. EXACTLY. >> SO THEY WERE CLEARLY MADE ONE 77 00:09:10,950 --> 00:09:17,423 AFTER THE OTHER. >> EXACTLY. >> Reporter: SUSPICIOUS, CRISTO GROZEV STARTED DATA MINING. 78 00:09:17,490 --> 00:09:24,897 BASED ON OFFICIAL RECORDS, IT SEEMED AS IF BOTH MEN WERE BORN AT THE AGE OF 32. AND THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL STAMP 79 00:09:24,964 --> 00:09:32,905 ON THE PASSPORT DOCUMENTS. >> THERE WAS A BIG BLACK STAMP IN THE CORNER OF THEIR FILE WHICH SAID "DO NOT PROVIDE 80 00:09:32,972 --> 00:09:39,378 INFORMATION ON THIS PERSON. IN CASE OF A QUERY CALL THIS NUMBER." AND SURE ENOUGH, WE CALLED THAT 81 00:09:39,445 --> 00:09:42,915 NUMBER. AND IT WAS THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE. >> Reporter: WHEN THE MINISTRY 82 00:09:42,982 --> 00:09:51,457 OF DEFENSE ANSWERED, GROZEV KNEW THE WOULD-BE ASSASSINS WERE MILITARY INTELLIGENCE AGENTS. TO MATCH THEIR FACES TO THEIR 83 00:09:51,524 --> 00:09:59,231 TRUE IDENTITIES HE SPENT WEEKS COMBING YEARBOOKS AND PHOTOGRAPHS FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY ACADEMIES. 84 00:09:59,298 --> 00:10:04,870 >> THE END RESULT WAS THAT WE WERE ABLE NOT ONLY TO IDENTIFY THE REAL IDENTITIES AND THE AFFILIATION TO THE MILITARY 85 00:10:04,937 --> 00:10:12,945 INTELLIGENCE, WE WERE ABLE TO FIND A THIRD AND A FOURTH MEMBER OF THE SAME KILL TEAM THAT THE BRITISH DID NOT EVEN KNOW ABOUT. 86 00:10:13,012 --> 00:10:21,053 >> Reporter: OVER MONTHS GROZEV UNCOVERED A NETWORK OF RUSSIAN HIT MEN, WORKING THROUGHOUT EUROPE, ARMED WITH NERVE AGENT 87 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:31,230 FROM A GOVERNMENT LAB. HE BOUGHT AIRLINE MANIFESTS AND FOUND SOME OF THE ASSASSINS' TRAVEL OVERLAPPED THE CAMPAIGN 88 00:10:31,297 --> 00:10:38,537 STOPS OF ALEXEI NAVALNY, THE TOP POLITICAL OPPONENT OF VLADIMIR PUTIN. >> AND WE FOUND A TOTAL OF 66 89 00:10:38,604 --> 00:10:45,811 OVERLAPS. WAY BEYOND ANY STATISTICAL POSSIBILITY FOR A COINCIDENCE. >> THEY'D BEEN SHADOWING HIM FOR 90 00:10:45,878 --> 00:10:49,548 MONTHS, YEARS. >> THEY'D BEEN SHADOWING HIM FOR FOUR YEARS. THEY STARTED SHADOWING HIM THE 91 00:10:49,615 --> 00:10:57,189 MOMENT HE ANNOUNCED HIS PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRATIONS IN 2017. APPARENTLY BEING ON STANDBY FOR 92 00:10:57,256 --> 00:11:03,462 A POSSIBLE ASSASSINATION WHENEVER THEY WOULD GET THE SIGNAL. >> Reporter: A SIGNAL CAME IN 93 00:11:03,529 --> 00:11:08,401 2020. ON A CAMPAIGN TRIP NAVALNY WAS POISONED WITH THAT SAME NERVE AGENT. 94 00:11:08,467 --> 00:11:18,811 HE RECOVERED IN A GERMAN HOSPITAL, RETURNED TO OPPOSE PUTIN, AND IS NOW IN PRISON. BELLINGCAT'S INVESTIGATION FOUND 95 00:11:18,878 --> 00:11:26,252 ASSASSINS ALSO TAILED OTHER PUTIN OPPONENTS. >> AND WE FOUND, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THE TEAM THAT HAD POISONED 96 00:11:26,318 --> 00:11:34,860 NAVALNY HAD TAILED AT THE MINIMUM 12 OTHER OPPOSITION FIGURES, THREE OF WHOM HAD BEEN KILLED IN FACT, POISONED. 97 00:11:34,927 --> 00:11:41,667 >> Reporter: INVESTIGATIONS LIKE THAT ARE PUBLISHED ON BELLINGCAT'S WEBSITE, WHICH IS BLOCKED IN RUSSIA. 98 00:11:41,734 --> 00:11:50,976 BELLINGCAT IS A NON-PROFIT FOUNDATION WHICH HAS TRAINED MORE THAN 4,000 JOURNALISTS AND WAR CRIME INVESTIGATORS IN ITS 99 00:11:51,043 --> 00:11:58,984 TECHNIQUES OF GEOLOCATION, VERIFICATION, AND DATA MINING. >> WE'RE HEADED INTO AN ENTIRELY NEW ERA OF HUMAN RIGHTS 100 00:11:59,051 --> 00:12:06,592 INVESTIGATIONS AND WAR CRIMES INVESTIGATIONS MORE GENERALLY. >> Reporter: BELLINGCAT TRAINED ALEXA KOENIG'S TEAM AT THE 101 00:12:06,659 --> 00:12:13,732 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER. KOENIG IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER, WHICH HAS USED 102 00:12:13,799 --> 00:12:21,640 BELLINGCAT'S TECHNIQUES TO EXPOSE ATROCITIES IN MYANMAR AND CHEMICAL ATTACKS IN SYRIA. >> THEY'RE SHOWING THE WORLD 103 00:12:21,707 --> 00:12:27,113 THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A LARGE OUTFIT LIKE "THE NEW YORK TIMES" OR THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT TO PULL THESE 104 00:12:27,179 --> 00:12:32,618 DISPARATE BITS OF INFORMATION TOGETHER AND ACTUALLY GET UNDERNEATH WHO'S DONE WHAT TO WHOM AND WHEN. 105 00:12:32,685 --> 00:12:41,861 >> Reporter: STILL, KOENIG SAYS THIS NEW ERA IS CHALLENGED BY THE FACT THAT ANYONE CAN AN INTERNET CONNECTION CAN BE AN 106 00:12:41,927 --> 00:12:45,598 INVESTIGATOR. >> THE PROBLEM BECOMES HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE THEY'RE RIGHT? >> THAT'S ALWAYS THE RISK. 107 00:12:45,664 --> 00:12:52,638 AND I THINK ONE BIG CONCERN IN THIS SPACE IS THE EFFECTS OF DOING THIS WORK AND MAKING SURE YOU DON'T GET IT WRONG. 108 00:12:52,705 --> 00:12:59,879 >> Reporter: ALEXA KOENIG'S UC BERKELEY CENTER RECENTLY WORKED WITH THE UNITED NATIONS TO PUBLISH GUIDELINES FOR WITNESSES 109 00:12:59,945 --> 00:13:05,151 WHO POST EVIDENCE AND FOR AMATEUR INVESTIGATORS. >> STANDARDS. >> YES. 110 00:13:05,217 --> 00:13:08,954 >> RULES OF EVIDENCE. >> EXACTLY. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE BEING REALLY INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE 111 00:13:09,021 --> 00:13:14,994 ABOUT HOW TO USE A LOT OF DIGITAL TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES TO ULTIMATELY SOLVE THESE PUZZLES. BUT THE PROBLEM IS A LOT OF THEM 112 00:13:15,060 --> 00:13:19,765 ARE NOT TRAINED AS LEGAL INVESTIGATORS. THEY'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE CHAIN OF CUSTODY AND 113 00:13:19,832 --> 00:13:25,938 HOW DO YOU ESTABLISH THAT SOMETHING YOU GRABBED FROM THE INTERNET HASN'T BEEN CHANGED IN TRANSIT AND SHOULD ACTUALLY BE 114 00:13:26,005 --> 00:13:32,611 TRUSTED AS RELIABLE ONCE IT REACHES A COURT OF LAW. SO OUR WORK IS HOPEFULLY DESIGNED AROUND HELPING THEM DO 115 00:13:32,678 --> 00:13:39,518 THAT IN A WAY THAT MAXIMIZES THAT VALUE FOR ACCOUNTABILITY. >> ULTIMATELY, WHAT IS YOUR HOPE FOR YOUR UKRAINE INVESTIGATIONS? 116 00:13:39,585 --> 00:13:47,459 >> WE ALREADY HAVE BEEN APPROACHED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT. WE'VE BEEN APPROACHED BY SEVERAL 117 00:13:47,526 --> 00:13:54,600 PROSECUTION AUTHORITIES IN EUROPE WHO WANT TO INITIATE THEIR OWN CASES INTO WAR CRIMES. AND WE NOT ONLY HOPE BUT WE KNOW 118 00:13:54,667 --> 00:14:02,575 THAT OUR DATA BASE, OUR RESEARCH NOW WILL BE USED IN A FUTURE LET'S CALL IT SOMETHING LIKE A NUREMBERG TRIAL. 119 00:14:02,641 --> 00:14:08,914 >> Reporter: THERE MAY BE NO ACCOUNTABILITY FOR RUSSIA IN A COURTROOM. BUT THE WORK OF TRADITIONAL 120 00:14:08,981 --> 00:14:18,057 JOURNALISTS AND BELLINGCAT'S EXPANDING DATA BASE ARE OVERWHELMING PUTIN'S PROPAGANDA. >> YOU HAVE EXPOSED A NUMBER OF 121 00:14:18,123 --> 00:14:23,729 RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS, SOME OF WHICH INVOLVE ASSASSINS, AND I WONDER IF YOU FEAR FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY. 122 00:14:23,796 --> 00:14:31,537 >> YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT YOUR OWN SECURITY. IT'S AN EXTRA LEVEL OF PARANOIA. IT DOESN'T KIND OF RULE MY LIFE, 123 00:14:31,604 --> 00:14:37,743 BUT YOU JUST HAVE TO BE KIND OF HYPERSENSITIVE SOMETIMES TO CERTAIN THINGS. >> WHY TAKE THE RISK? 124 00:14:37,810 --> 00:14:44,083 WHY YOU? >> IF RUSSIA IS TO SUSTAIN ITSELF, IT HAS TO RULE BY FEAR. YOU CAN'T JUST LET THAT FEAR 125 00:14:44,149 --> 00:14:49,855 OVERTAKE YOU. IF YOU'RE IN A POSITION TO DO SOMETHING, IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION, IF YOU HAVE THE 126 00:14:49,922 --> 00:14:55,894 MOTIVATION AND YOU HAVE THE STRENGTH TO DO IT YOU SHOULD DO IT. >> Reporter: UKRAINE WILL BE THE 127 00:14:55,961 --> 00:15:02,501 MOST THOROUGHLY DOCUMENTED WAR IN HISTORY. RUSSIA SAYS NO CIVILIANS HAVE BEEN HARMED BY ITS FORCES AND 128 00:15:02,568 --> 00:15:13,946 SCENES OF ATROCITIES ARE STAGED. BUT PUTIN'S DEFENSE IS A THROWBACK TO A PREVIOUS CENTURY. ANALOG DENIALS IN THE AGE OF THE 129 00:15:14,013 --> 00:15:16,415 DIGITAL WITNESS. 130 00:15:20,853 --> 00:15:33,499 >> HOW BELLINGCAT IS USING TIKTOK TO INVESTIGATE THE WAR IN UKRAINE. AT 131 00:15:33,565 --> 00:15:39,238 >>> OVER THE YEARS WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF STORIES ABOUT WRONGLY CONVICTED PRISONERS WHO GET EXONERATED WHEN A CRUSADING 132 00:15:39,305 --> 00:15:46,278 ATTORNEY TAKES ON THEIR CASE. IN PRISONS AROUND THE WORLD, HOWEVER, THAT RARELY HAPPENS. IN KENYA, FOR EXAMPLE, MORE THAN 133 00:15:46,345 --> 00:15:52,818 80% OF INMATES HAVE NEVER BEEN REPRESENTED BY A LAWYER. JUSTICE DEFENDERS WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE THAT. 134 00:15:52,885 --> 00:15:59,491 IT'S AN ORGANIZATION STARTED IN AFRICA BY A SOFT-SPOKEN 37-YEAR-OLD LAWYER NAMED ALEXANDER McLEAN. 135 00:15:59,558 --> 00:16:08,367 JUSTICE DEFENDERS HAS WORKED IN 55 PRISONS IN KENYA, UGANDA, AND GAMBIA, GIVING LEGAL TRAINING TO HUNDREDS OF INMATES WHO CAN THEN 136 00:16:08,434 --> 00:16:14,907 HELP THEIR FELLOW PRISONERS, THE INNOCENT AND THE GUILTY, GET A FAIR HEARING IN COURT. THEY ARE ALSO HELPING SOME 137 00:16:14,973 --> 00:16:23,682 PRISONERS GET LAW DEGREES. AND AS WE FOUND OUT WHEN WE VISITED KENYA BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN 138 00:16:23,749 --> 00:16:30,422 ASTOUNDING. FIKA MAIN PRISON OUTSIDE NAIROBI IS A MISERABLE PLACE. BUILT ALMOST 70 YEARS AGO TO 139 00:16:30,489 --> 00:16:38,497 HOLD 300 PRISONERS, WHEN WE VISITED THREE YEARS AGO THERE WERE MORE THAN 1,000. IN THIS ONE DANK HOLDING CELL, 140 00:16:38,564 --> 00:16:45,237 140 MEN WERE PACKED TIGHTLY TOGETHER, THE AIR THICK WITH THE SMELL OF SWEAT AND URINE. THEY'D BEEN ACCUSED OF 141 00:16:45,304 --> 00:16:52,644 EVERYTHING FROM TRESPASSING AND ROBBERY TO ASSAULT AND MURDER. SOME HAD ALREADY BEEN CONVICTED. BUT MOST HAVE YET TO STAND 142 00:16:52,711 --> 00:16:57,015 TRIAL. THEY CAN'T AFFORD BAIL. SO THEY'LL LIKELY HAVE TO WAIT HERE FOR YEARS. 143 00:16:57,082 --> 00:17:04,656 >> GOOD AFTERNOON, BROTHERS. OUR WORK IS TO HELP PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE LAWYERS TO ACCESS JUSTICE. 144 00:17:04,723 --> 00:17:10,963 >> Reporter: THAT'S ALEXANDER McLEAN, THE FOUNDER OF JUSTICE DEFENDERS, WHICH HAS BEEN WORKING IN KENYA'S PRISONS FOR 145 00:17:11,029 --> 00:17:16,034 13 YEARS. >> HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE A LAWYER? >> TWO. 146 00:17:16,101 --> 00:17:21,006 THREE. >> Reporter: JUST THREE MEN IN THIS GROUP OF MORE THAN 200 PRISONERS HAVE AN ATTORNEY. 147 00:17:21,073 --> 00:17:27,446 >> WE THINK IT'S A PROBLEM THAT OFTEN POOR PEOPLE GO TO COURT WITHOUT DEFENSE. >> Reporter: DEFENDING THE 148 00:17:27,513 --> 00:17:36,588 DEFENSELESS IS AT THE HEART OF ALEXANDER McLEAN'S MISSION. MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN PRISONS IN KENYA DON'T COME TO 149 00:17:36,655 --> 00:17:41,059 COURT KNOWING THEIR RIGHTS, KNOWING HOW A COURT WORKS. >> YOU MIGHT MEET PEOPLE IN PRISON WHO THINK THE POLICE ARE 150 00:17:41,126 --> 00:17:45,197 THE ONES WHO'VE CONVICTED THEM OF AN OFFENSE. OR THEY'VE NEVER HAD A COPY OF THEIR JUDGMENT. 151 00:17:45,264 --> 00:17:51,437 SO THEY KNOW THEY'VE BEEN CONVICTED BUT THEY DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT OF AND WHY. AND SO OUR HOPE WITH OUR WORK IS 152 00:17:51,503 --> 00:17:56,208 THAT WE GIVE PEOPLE FAIR HEARINGS. SO EVEN IF THEY'RE CONVICTED OR THEY'RE GIVEN A PRISON SENTENCE 153 00:17:56,275 --> 00:18:04,817 AFTERWARDS THEY SAY, WELL, THAT'S FAIR BECAUSE MY VOICE HAS BEEN HEARD. >> Reporter: MORRIS KABIRIA WAS 154 00:18:04,883 --> 00:18:12,024 SENT TO FIKA PRISON IN 2005. HE WAS A POLICE OFFICER AND WAS ACCUSED OF STEALING A CELL PHONE AND CREDIT CARD. 155 00:18:12,090 --> 00:18:17,062 >> HOW MUCH TIME DID YOU END UP IN PRETRIAL DETENTION WAITING FOR YOUR TRIAL? >> EIGHT GOOD YEARS. 156 00:18:17,129 --> 00:18:23,368 >> EIGHT YEARS. >> EIGHT YEARS. FROM 2005 TO 2013. >> Reporter: IN COURT HE CLAIMED 157 00:18:23,435 --> 00:18:28,207 HE'D BEEN FRAMED BECAUSE HE DIDN'T PAY A BRIBE TO A SUPERIOR OFFICER. THE JUDGE FOUND HIM GUILTY OF 158 00:18:28,273 --> 00:18:33,445 ARMED ROBBERY AND GAVE HIM THE MANDATORY SENTENCE. DEATH. >> THE DEATH PENALTY FOR AN 159 00:18:33,512 --> 00:18:39,084 ARMED ROBBERY. >> YES. >> WHEN THE VERDICT CAME, DO YOU REMEMBER THAT DAY? 160 00:18:39,151 --> 00:18:50,562 >> VERY MUCH. WHEN THE JUDGE SENTENCED ME TO DEATH, TO SUFFER DEATH BY HANGING, I JUST SAW BLACKNESS 161 00:18:50,629 --> 00:18:55,667 EVERYWHERE. >> Reporter: McLEAN TOOK US TO LANGATA WOMEN'S PRISON IN NAIROBI, WHERE JUSTICE DEFENDERS 162 00:18:55,734 --> 00:19:03,509 HAS TRAINED 47 INMATES TO BE WHAT THEY CALL PARALEGALS. THEY'RE GIVEN A THREE-WEEK LAW COURSE WHICH ENABLES THEM TO 163 00:19:03,575 --> 00:19:10,649 TEACH OTHER PRISONERS ABOUT BAIL, COURT PROCEDURES, AND RULES OF EVIDENCE. THE PARALEGALS ALSO PREPARE 164 00:19:10,716 --> 00:19:17,656 PETITIONS AND WRITE APPEALS CHALLENGING INMATES' CONVICTIONS AND SENTENCES. >> WHAT YEAR DID YOU ARRIVE 165 00:19:17,723 --> 00:19:23,362 HERE? >> Reporter: JANE MANYONGE BALM A PARALEGAL FIVE YEARS AGO. SHE WAS A SCHOOLTEACHER WHEN SHE 166 00:19:23,428 --> 00:19:28,333 WAS CHARGED WITH KILLING HER HUSBAND, WHO SHE SAYS WAS ABUSIVE. CONVICTED OF MURDER, SHE TOO WAS 167 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:31,970 GIVEN A MANDATORY DEATH SENTENCE. >> YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOUR RIGHTS? >> NEVER. 168 00:19:32,037 --> 00:19:36,575 NEVER. >> HOW COURTS WORK. >> NEVER. AND THAT'S WHAT PROPELLED ME TO 169 00:19:36,642 --> 00:19:45,317 JOIN THE PARALEGAL. THAT LEGAL BASIC KNOWLEDGE THAT I GET, IT GOES A LONG WAY. YOU DON'T NEED A DEGREE TO DRAFT 170 00:19:45,384 --> 00:19:52,157 SOMEBODY AN APPEAL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >> HOW DOES THAT FAEEL? >> YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE STILL A 171 00:19:52,224 --> 00:19:56,929 HUMAN BEING EVEN IF YOU ARE HERE. YOU CAN DO SOMETHING TO CHANGE SOMEONE'S LIFE. 172 00:19:56,995 --> 00:20:02,734 >> Reporter: ALEXANDER McLEAN BEGAN VOLUNTEERING TO HELP OTHERS AS A TEENAGER, GROWING UP IN SOUTH LONDON. 173 00:20:02,801 --> 00:20:10,876 HIS FATHER WAS JAMAICAN AND HIS MOTHER IS ENGLISH. HE FIRST WENT TO AFRICA WHEN HE WAS 18 TO DO HOSPICE WORK, IN 174 00:20:10,943 --> 00:20:16,882 PRISONS AND HOSPITALS IN UGANDA. >> WE WENT ONTO THIS WARD, AND BY THE TOILET ON THE FLOOR I SAW A MAN LYING ON A PLASTIC SHEET 175 00:20:16,949 --> 00:20:25,390 IN A POOL OF URINE. AND FOR FIVE DAYS I WASHED HIM AND TRIED TO ADVOCATE FOR HIM. CAME THE SIXTH DAY AND HE WAS 176 00:20:25,457 --> 00:20:28,827 LYING DEAD AND NAKED ON THE FLOOR. >> IT'S NOT SOMETHING A LOT OF PEOPLE I THINK WOULD VOLUNTEER 177 00:20:28,894 --> 00:20:33,498 TO DO. >> I GUESS THAT SOMETIMES IN LIFE WE SEE THINGS THAT WE CAN'T UNSEE AND THEN WE HAVE A CHOICE 178 00:20:33,565 --> 00:20:40,906 AS TO HOW WE RESPOND TO THEM BECAUSE EVERY PERSON HAS GIFTS AND TALENTS AND SOMETHING TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR SOCIETY. 179 00:20:40,973 --> 00:20:48,680 OUR SOCIETY CAN ONLY FLOURISH WHEN THE INHERENT WORTH OF EACH PERSON IS VALUED. >> Reporter: AFTER RETURNING TO 180 00:20:48,747 --> 00:20:56,688 LONDON AND GRADUATING FROM LAW SCHOOL HE COULD HAVE GOTTEN A HIGH-PAYING JOB. INSTEAD, IN 2007 HE STARTED A 181 00:20:56,755 --> 00:21:05,530 CHARITY TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS IN AFRICAN PRISONS. AT NIEB NAIROBI'S COMMITTEE MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON, A 182 00:21:05,597 --> 00:21:11,837 NOTORIOUS AND SOMETIMES VIOLENT PLACE, HE MET GEORGE KARABA WHO WAS ON DEATH ROW FOR KILLING A MAN IN A DISPUTE OVER LAND. 183 00:21:11,903 --> 00:21:16,241 >> I REMEMBER THE FIRST THING THAT HE ASKED WAS HOW HE COULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE US WITH READING MATERIALS. 184 00:21:16,308 --> 00:21:23,582 >> Reporter: SO McCLEAN BEGAN COLLECTING WHATEVER BOOKS HE COULD FIND FOR THE PRISONERS. >> MY SENSE WAS THAT BOOKS COULD 185 00:21:23,649 --> 00:21:31,790 TRANSFORM US AND TRANSFORM OUR CIRCUMSTANCES AND TAKE US TO A DIFFERENT PLACE. >> 9, 10, 11. 186 00:21:31,857 --> 00:21:38,130 >> Reporter: PRISON AUTHORITIES HAD ALREADY STARTED AN ACADEMY OF THEIR OWN, WITH CLASSES FROM FIRST GRADE THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL, 187 00:21:38,196 --> 00:21:43,168 TEACHING MATH, ENGLISH, SCIENCE AND RELIGION. AND WITH McCLEAN'S HELP THEY TURNED A ROOM AT THE END OF A 188 00:21:43,235 --> 00:21:48,440 CELL BLOCK INTO A LIBRARY. >> YOU CAN'T IMAGINE THE HAPPINESS. YOU CAN'T IMAGINE. 189 00:21:48,507 --> 00:21:55,347 >> JUST FROM A BOOK. >> YEAH. BECAUSE WHEN YOU START READING THIS BOOK IT'S ACTUALLY 190 00:21:55,414 --> 00:22:00,185 ENLIGHTENING ME. IT'S LIKE NOW I'M BEING OLD UP TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD. IT STARTED GIVING US HOPE. 191 00:22:00,252 --> 00:22:08,226 >> Reporter: McLEAN WANTED TO DO MORE THAN JUST IMPROVE LIFE IN KENYA'S PRISONS. HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THOSE 192 00:22:08,293 --> 00:22:14,166 ACCUSED OF CRIMES HAD I AFFAIR HEARING. >> OFTEN IT'S PEOPLE FROM BACKGROUNDS OF PRIVILEGE WHO 193 00:22:14,232 --> 00:22:19,171 BECOME LAWYERS OR BECOME POLITICIANS AND MAKE THE LAW BUT IT'S THE POOREST PEOPLE IN OUR SOCIETIES WHO DISPROPORTIONATELY 194 00:22:19,237 --> 00:22:26,278 FEEL THE IMPACT OF THE LAW. AND I WONDERED WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE TO TAP INTO THAT LIVED EXPERIENCE. 195 00:22:26,344 --> 00:22:33,552 >> Reporter: SO IN 2012 McLEAN ARRANGED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON LAW SCHOOL FOR INMATES TO BEGIN TAKING A THREE-YEAR 196 00:22:33,618 --> 00:22:39,858 CORRESPONDENCE COURSE. THE SAME ONE NELSON MANDELA TOOK WHEN HE WAS IN PRISON. TO QUALIFY THEY HAVE TO PASS AN 197 00:22:39,925 --> 00:22:44,463 ENTRANCE EXAM AND HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF HELPING OTHER PRISONERS WHILE THEY'VE BEEN BEHIND BARS. 198 00:22:44,529 --> 00:22:53,805 >> SO EVEN IF THEY MAY HAVE MURDERED SOMEBODY AND HAVE A LIFE SENTENCE, IF THEY HAVE TRANSFORMED THEMSELVES IN 199 00:22:53,872 --> 00:22:57,442 PRISON, IF THEY ARE SERVING OTHERS THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO QUALIFY. >> YES. 200 00:22:57,509 --> 00:23:06,284 BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THERE'S MORE TO SOMEONE THAT'S KILLED THAN BEING A MURDERER OR MORE TO SOMEONE WHO'S STOLEN THAN BEING 201 00:23:06,351 --> 00:23:11,056 A THIEF. I DON'T THINK ANY OF US HAS TO BE DEFINED BY THE WORST THING THAT WE'VE DONE. 202 00:23:11,123 --> 00:23:17,496 >> Reporter: REMEMBER MORRIS KABIRIA, THE COP IN FOR ARMED ROBBERY? HE ENROLLED IN LAW SCHOOL AND 203 00:23:17,562 --> 00:23:22,100 FOUND THE LEARNING CURVE STEEP. >> I HAD NEVER TOUCHED A COMPUTER IN MY LIFE BEFORE I WENT TO PRISON. 204 00:23:22,167 --> 00:23:28,073 >> REALLY? >> YES. I TOUCHED THE FIRST COMPUTER IN THAT LAW CLASS. 205 00:23:28,140 --> 00:23:35,781 >> Reporter: IN SOME WAYS THEY ARE LIKE LAW STUDENTS ANYWHERE. IN THE CHAPEL AT COMMITTEE MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON WE 206 00:23:35,847 --> 00:23:42,254 WATCHED AS HE THIS HELD A MOOT COURT, A MOCK LEGAL HEARING WHERE THEY ROLE PLAY, ARGUING CASES WITH ALL THE GRAVITAS AND 207 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:50,262 GRANDEUR OF A REAL KENYAN COURTROOM. SOME PRISONERS PLAY PROSECUTORS. >> THIS SOCIETY AS A WHOLE NEEDS 208 00:23:50,328 --> 00:24:00,172 PROTECTION. >> Reporter: OTHERS THE DEFENSE. >> IT IS BETTER TO ACQUIT NINE GUILTY SUSPECTS THAN CONVICT ONE 209 00:24:00,238 --> 00:24:05,210 INNOCENT PERSON. >> Reporter: THERE'S ALSO A DEFENDANT. >> WE PROCEED. 210 00:24:05,277 --> 00:24:12,918 >> Reporter: AND PRISONER JUDGES TO RENDER A VERDICT. >> THE APPELLANTS HAVE PROVED THEIR APPEAL. 211 00:24:12,984 --> 00:24:15,954 [ APPLAUSE ] >> Reporter: YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED PRISON GUARDS IN ATTENDANCE. 212 00:24:16,021 --> 00:24:25,564 REMARKABLY, SOME OF THEM ARE TAKING LAW CLASSES AS WELL. WILLIE OJOLU IS THE CHIEF INSPECTOR AT LANGATA WOMEN'S 213 00:24:25,630 --> 00:24:31,069 PRISON AND JUST COMPLETED HIS UNIVERSITY OF LONDON LAW DEGREE. >> I DON'T KNOW THAT I KNOW OF MANY GUARDS IN THE UNITED STATES 214 00:24:31,136 --> 00:24:37,342 WHO TRAINED TO BECOME A LAWYER SO THEY CAN GIVE LEGAL ADVICE TO THE PEOPLE THEY'RE GUARDING. IT'S PRETTY UNIQUE. 215 00:24:37,409 --> 00:24:45,650 >> WELL, IT SOUNDS UNIQUE, BUT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS HERE. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE BROUGHT TO PRISON AS A PUNISHMENT BUT NOT 216 00:24:45,717 --> 00:24:50,422 FOR PUNISHMENT. >> I'VE NEVER HEARD IT PHRASED THAT WAY. SO YOUR GOAL IS NOT TO PUNISH 217 00:24:50,488 --> 00:24:55,594 THEM BUT -- >> TO HELP THEM IMPROVE ON THEIR LIFE AND MANAGE THEIR LIFE PROPERLY SO THAT THEY DON'T GET 218 00:24:55,660 --> 00:25:03,268 IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW. ♪ >> THREE YEARS AGO INSIDE COMMITTEE MAXIMUM SECURITY 219 00:25:03,335 --> 00:25:12,544 PRISON THERE WAS A GRADUATION CEREMONY THE LIKES OF WHICH NO ONE HERE HAD EVER SEEN. 18 INMATES, FORMER PRISONERS AND 220 00:25:12,611 --> 00:25:19,918 GUARDS, RECEIVED THEIR UNIVERSITY OF LONDON LAW SCHOOL DEGREES. GEORGE KARABA GOT HIS. 221 00:25:19,985 --> 00:25:27,359 WHILE HE MAY SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE IN PRISON, HE SAYS HE'S BEEN TRANSFORMED. >> IF I DON'T GET OUT OF PRISON 222 00:25:27,425 --> 00:25:32,430 I WILL STILL CONTINUE DOING WHAT I DO. >> TO SEE SOMEBODY YOU'VE HELPED GET OUT OF PRISON -- 223 00:25:32,497 --> 00:25:35,600 >> IT GIVES ME GREAT SATISFACTION. >> DOES IT FEEL LIKE PART OF YOU GOES OUT WITH THAT PERSON? 224 00:25:35,667 --> 00:25:41,439 >> I FEEL PART OF ME IS ACTUALLY OUT. AND THEREFORE I'M GOOD. >> GEORGE KARABA AND OTHERS 225 00:25:41,506 --> 00:25:49,381 HELPED MORRIS KABIRIA APPEAL HIS DEATH PENALTY CONVICTION. KABIRIA ARGUED THE CASE HIMSELF AND WAS STUNNED WHEN THE JUDGE 226 00:25:49,447 --> 00:25:56,421 ACQUITTED HIM OF ALL CHARGES AFTER 13 YEARS IN PRISON. >> IT FELT LIKE I DID NOT HEAR RIGHT. 227 00:25:56,488 --> 00:26:00,926 SO I ASKED, WHAT? AND SHE TOLD ME, HEY, COME ON, I THOUGHT YOU'RE A LAWYER. >> YOU DIDN'T BELIEVE WHAT SHE 228 00:26:00,992 --> 00:26:04,429 WAS SAYING? YOU WANTED TO SEE IT IN WRITING? >> I DON'T BELIEVE IT CAN HAPPEN THAT WAY. 229 00:26:04,496 --> 00:26:09,200 BECAUSE IT WAS NOT EVEN IN MY MIND. >> FIRST IMPRESSION IS VERY IMPORTANT. 230 00:26:09,267 --> 00:26:14,906 >> Reporter: MORRIS KABIRIA WAS FREED. BUT WHEN HE GOT OUT, HE WENT RIGHT BACK TO PRISON, AS A 231 00:26:14,973 --> 00:26:21,947 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE OF JUSTICE DEFENDERS. HERE HE IS TEACHING INMATES A LESSON HE LEARNED IN COURT 232 00:26:22,013 --> 00:26:26,851 FIRSTHAND. ALWAYS LOOK THE JUDGE STRAIGHT IN THE EYE. >> DON'T JUST LIE LOW. 233 00:26:26,918 --> 00:26:35,927 DON'T KEEP QUIET. IT MIGHT AFFECT YOUR DEFENSE OR YOUR CASE. >> Reporter: JUSTICE DEFENDERS 234 00:26:35,994 --> 00:26:39,864 SAYS SINTS WE'VE SINCE WE'VE VISITED KENYA THEY'VE PROVIDED MORE THAN 37,000 LEGAL SERVICES TO 235 00:26:39,931 --> 00:26:46,237 PRISONERS AND SEEN ALMOST 11,000 PEOPLE RELEASED. THIS WAS PAULINE NAJERI'S WALK TO FREEDOM AFTER FIVE YEARS IN 236 00:26:46,304 --> 00:26:52,644 PRISON FOR FRAUD. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DARLING, FOR COMING. >> Reporter: HER DAUGHTER WAS 237 00:26:52,711 --> 00:26:59,351 THERE TO GREET HER. >> SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOUR PARALEGALS ARE TRAINING HAVE COMMITTED VERY SERIOUS OFFENSES. 238 00:26:59,417 --> 00:27:06,257 >> FOR SURE. >> DO THEY REALLY DESERVE A CHANCE TO GET OUT? IF THEY'VE REALLY COMMITTED 239 00:27:06,324 --> 00:27:11,663 THOSE CRIMES. >> WE'RE NOT DETERMINING SENTENCE. THOSE WHO ARE GUILTY OF OFFENSES 240 00:27:11,730 --> 00:27:19,070 SHOULD BE PUNISHED. AND THE PUNISHMENT SHOULD BE PROPORTIONATE AND IT SHOULD BE VIEWED TOWARD EQUIPPING THEM ONE 241 00:27:19,137 --> 00:27:26,011 DAY TO LEAVE PRISON AND TO CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY. BUT THOSE WHO ARE INNOCENT SHOULDN'T BE WRONGLY PUNISHED. 242 00:27:26,077 --> 00:27:33,518 >> Reporter: JUSTICE DEFENDERS RELIES ENTIRELY ON DONATIONS AND SPENDS ABOUT $2 MILLION A YEAR HELPING INMATES. 243 00:27:33,585 --> 00:27:40,525 THEY'VE BEGUN TRYING TO EXPAND THEIR WORK INTO OTHER PRISONS IN AFRICA, EUROPE AND TH UNITED STATES. 244 00:27:40,592 --> 00:27:45,864 >> WE HAVE A SHARED HUNGER FOR JUSTICE. >> Reporter: ALREADY THEIR IMPACT IN KENYA HAS BEEN 245 00:27:45,930 --> 00:27:51,770 PROFOUND. MORRIS KABIRIA WAS PART OF A TEAM OF JUSTICE DEFENDERS WHO SUCCESSFULLY CHALLENGED THE 246 00:27:51,836 --> 00:27:59,644 CONSTITUTIONALITY OF KENYA'S MANDATORY DEATH SENTENCE. THE LAW WAS CHANGED, AND AS A RESULT THOUSANDS OF DEATH ROW 247 00:27:59,711 --> 00:28:06,084 INMATES BECAME ELIGIBLE FOR RESENTENCING. >> THAT MUST FEEL EXTRAORDINARY. >> EXTRAORDINARY. 248 00:28:06,151 --> 00:28:10,822 I LOVE LAW. I EAT LAW AND DRINK LAW AND LOVE LAW. >> YOU EAT AND DRINK IT? 249 00:28:10,889 --> 00:28:15,660 >> COMPLETELY. EVERY DAY. I DO EVERYTHING WITH LAW. >> LISTENING TO YOU TALK ABOUT 250 00:28:15,727 --> 00:28:26,771 THE LAW, IT SORT OF MAKES ME EXCITED ABOUT THE LAW. >> YES. YOU KNOW, THERE IS ONE THING WE 251 00:28:26,838 --> 00:28:32,911 DO. WE MAKE ASSUMPTIONS AS PEOPLE, AS A SOCIETY, AND WE DIG OUR GRAVES THROUGH THOSE 252 00:28:32,977 --> 00:28:41,086 ASSUMPTIONS. LAW IS NOT FOR LAWYERS. LAW IS NOT FOR THE GOVERNMENT. LAW IS NOT FOR SOME PEOPLE 253 00:28:41,152 --> 00:28:47,692 SOMEWHERE OR THE RICH. LAW IS FOR EVERYONE. >> IN THE COMING WEEKS 100,000 INMATES WILL HAVE BEEN ADVISED 254 00:28:47,759 --> 00:28:54,199 BY JUSTICE DEFENDERS, WITH THEIR PLANNED EXPANSION INTO NEW PRISONS AND COUNTRIES THEY AIM TO SERVE 1 MILLION PRISONERS BY 255 00:28:54,265 --> 00:28:56,334 2030. 256 00:29:07,512 --> 00:29:13,151 >>> FOR DECADES NOW RUSSIANS HAVE KNOWN THE DRILL. WHEN THERE'S BAD NEWS BREWING SUCH AS THE DEATH OF A LEADER OR 257 00:29:13,218 --> 00:29:21,593 A CONVULSIVE EVENT SUCH AS THE CHERNOBYL DISASTER, STATE TV SWITCHES ITS PROGRAMMING AND BEGINS AIRING TCHAIKOVSKY'S 258 00:29:21,659 --> 00:29:27,665 BALLET "SWAN LAKE." NOTHING TO SEE HERE, FOLKS. BUT ALSO NOTE THE CHOICE OF DISTRACTION. 259 00:29:27,732 --> 00:29:33,638 BALLET IS CENTRALLY IMPORTANT TO RUSSIAN SOCIETY AND TO RUSSIAN IMAGE. DANCERS SLICING THROUGH THE AIR 260 00:29:33,705 --> 00:29:41,846 AND CHALLENGING LAWS OF PHYSICS AND GRAVITY REPRESENTS CIVILITY AND GRACE. BUT AFTER FEBRUARY 24th, WHEN 261 00:29:41,913 --> 00:29:49,821 RUSSIAN MILITARY TROOPS INVADED UKRAINE, RUSSIAN BALLET TROOPS HAD THEIR WESTERN TOURS CANCELED AND MOSCOW'S BOLSHOI THEATER HAS 262 00:29:49,888 --> 00:29:56,661 SHUTTERED SHOWS BY DIRECTORS CRITICAL OF PUTIN'S WAR. AS WE FIRST REPORTED EARLIER THIS YEAR, THIS BRUTAL WAR PLAYS 263 00:29:56,728 --> 00:30:06,171 OUT ON THE MOST DELICATE OF FRONTS, LEAVING BALLET IN EXILE. ♪ WHEN BALLET DANCERS ARE 264 00:30:06,237 --> 00:30:14,179 DESCRIBED AS GOD'S ATHLETES, WELL, YOU COULD OFFER UP OLGA SMIRNOVA AS SUPPORTING EVIDENCE. SHE TREADS ON AIR, COMING IN ON 265 00:30:14,245 --> 00:30:19,751 LITTLE CAT FEET. SHE'S A RUSSIAN PRIMA BALLERINA, ONE OF THE WORLD'S LEADING DANCERS. 266 00:30:19,817 --> 00:30:28,026 BUT DAYS AFTER RUSSIA INVADED UKRAINE, SMIRNOVA PIROUETTED AND STEPPED OFF HER STAGE AT THE RENOWNED BOLSHOI THEATER WITH 267 00:30:28,092 --> 00:30:34,465 DRAMATIC FLOURISH. ♪ SHE TOOK TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO EXPRESS HER OUTRAGE AND THEN 268 00:30:34,532 --> 00:30:43,341 FLED THE COUNTRY, THE MODERN-DAY VERSION OF NUREYEV OR BARYSHNIKOV DEFECTING. >> WHEN YOU SAT DOWN TO WRITE 269 00:30:43,408 --> 00:30:48,646 THAT SOCIAL MEDIA POST, WHAT DID YOU WANT TO COMMUNICATE? WHAT DID YOU WANT TO SAY? >> I JUST COULDN'T KEEP IT 270 00:30:48,713 --> 00:30:55,186 INSIDE. I WAS SO ASHAMED OF RUSSIA. THIS IS THE TRUTH. I'M NOT ASHAMED THAT I'M 271 00:30:55,253 --> 00:31:04,028 RUSSIAN, BUT I'M ASHAMED BECAUSE OF RUSSIA STARTED THIS ACTION. >> I WANT TO READ WHAT YOU WROTE. 272 00:31:04,095 --> 00:31:09,834 YOU SAID YOU WERE AGAINST THIS WAR WITH EVERY FIBER OF YOUR BEING "BUT I NOW FEEL THAT A LINE HAS BEEN DRAWN THAT 273 00:31:09,901 --> 00:31:15,707 SEPARATES THE BEFORE AND THE AFTER." >> IT'S HOW I FELT. 24th OF FEBRUARY. 274 00:31:15,773 --> 00:31:24,515 THIS WAS THE LINE. BECAUSE IT'S ALL CHANGED. ALL CHANGED. THE REPUTATION OF RUSSIA AND 275 00:31:24,582 --> 00:31:36,361 RUSSIAN PEOPLE. EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT A SOLDIER, YOU'RE JUST RUSSIAN, IT'S SO -- IT'S STILL MAKE A SHADOW ON YOU. 276 00:31:36,427 --> 00:31:42,767 >> BEING RUSSIAN. >> BEING RUSSIAN. IT'S REALLY PAINFUL. >> Reporter: PREDICTABLY, 277 00:31:42,834 --> 00:31:53,144 SMIRNOVA'S POST WENT VIRAL. SHE WAS, AFTER ALL, A LEADING LIGHT AT MOSCOW'S BOLSHOI BALLET. 278 00:31:53,211 --> 00:31:59,250 FROM THE RUSSIAN WORD FOR "BIG," BOLSHOI IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST BALLET COMPANY AND THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS. 279 00:31:59,317 --> 00:32:07,625 THE THEATER IS PHYSICALLY CLOSE TO THE KREMLIN, A SHORT WALK AWAY, AND ALSO ALIGNED INEXTRICABLY WITH TE RUSSIAN 280 00:32:07,692 --> 00:32:14,299 GOVERNMENT. CZARS LOVED THE BOLSHOI. FOR DECADES COMMUNIST LEADERS USED THE BOLSHOI THEATER FOR 281 00:32:14,365 --> 00:32:22,273 POLITICAL STAGECRAFT, HOLDING RALLIES AND GIVING NATIONAL ADDRESSES THERE. >> THIS IS SOMETHING THAT 282 00:32:22,340 --> 00:32:29,480 CELEBRATES RUSSIA. EVERY IMPORTANT GUEST WHO WOULD VISIT SOVIET UNION WOULD BE INVITED TO THE BOLSHOI TO SEE 283 00:32:29,547 --> 00:32:38,623 THE PERFORMANCE, AND THAT WAS THE PRIDE OF RUSSIA AT ANY TIME. >> Reporter: ALEXEI RADMONSKI TRAINED AT THE BOLSHOI SCHOOL 284 00:32:38,690 --> 00:32:45,430 AND WAS FOR A TIME ITS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR. HE WAS BORN IN RUSSIA BUT GREW UP IN KYIV, WHERE HIS PARENTS 285 00:32:45,496 --> 00:32:52,737 STILL LIVE. ♪ AT THE TIME OF THE INVASION HE WAS IN RUSSIA CHOREOGRAPHING TWO 286 00:32:52,804 --> 00:32:59,811 BALLETS. HE LEFT THE COUNTRY IMMEDIATELY, UNWILLING TO CONTINUE WORKING IN A WORLD SO TIED TO THE PUTIN 287 00:32:59,877 --> 00:33:14,625 REGIME. >> AS I WAS GOING IN A TAXI TO THE AIRPORT, I FELT THIS -- SAND CASTLES FALLING APART BEHIND MY 288 00:33:14,692 --> 00:33:19,864 BACK. >> THE SAND CASTLES WERE THE WORK YOU HAD DONE -- >> YES. 289 00:33:19,931 --> 00:33:24,936 YES. YES. IT WAS AN AGONY. IT WAS A VERY HARD DAY. 290 00:33:25,002 --> 00:33:30,675 >> Reporter: AND OF COURSE A CATASTROPHIC DAY FOR UKRAINE. INDISCRIMINATE BOMBINGS AND MISSILE STRIKES RAINING DOWN 291 00:33:30,742 --> 00:33:39,684 UPON THE COUNTRY, CRUSHING LIVES AND DREAMS. NOT LEAST THOSE OF AN ASCENDANT BALLERINA FROM KYIV, PAULINA 292 00:33:39,751 --> 00:33:44,222 CHEPEK, AGE 17. YOU WANTED TO BE A BALLERINA FOR YEARS AND YEARS. WHAT WAS IT LIKE WHEN SUDDENLY 293 00:33:44,288 --> 00:33:49,193 YOU COULDN'T GO TO SCHOOL, COULDN'T DANCE? >> I WAS SHOCKED AND I LIKE -- OH, MY GOD. 294 00:33:49,260 --> 00:33:55,833 AND FIRST ABOUT WHAT I'M THINKING, THAT I LEFT MY POINT SHOES IN COLLEGE. >> THAT WAS YOUR FIRST THOUGHT. 295 00:33:55,900 --> 00:34:01,873 >> YES. >> YOU LEFT YOUR POINT SHOES AT SCHOOL. >> I LEFT EVERYTHING, ACTUALLY. 296 00:34:01,939 --> 00:34:08,713 >> WAR DIDN'T STOP HER IN HER FOOTSTEPS. SHE RESUMED DANCING AT HOME, USING WHATEVER SHE COULD AS A 297 00:34:08,780 --> 00:34:15,820 BAR. BUT AFTER A FEW DAYS HER PARENTS, BOTH FORMER DANCERS, FOCUSED ON GETTING PAULINA OUT. 298 00:34:15,887 --> 00:34:25,663 THEY CALLED ON A FAMOUSLY WELL-CONNECTED FIGURE IN THE TIGHT-KNIT BALLET COMMUNITY, NEW JERSEY-BASED LARISSA SAVLIEV. 299 00:34:25,730 --> 00:34:30,268 >> YOU'RE GETTING THIS BARRAGE OF E-MAILS FROM PARENTS AND FROM DANCERS. WHAT ARE THEY TELLING YOU? 300 00:34:30,334 --> 00:34:38,242 WHAT ARE THEY ASKING YOU? >> PLEASE HELP. THAT WAS -- GET US OUT OF HERE. THEY'RE WILLING TO GIVE UP 301 00:34:38,309 --> 00:34:43,114 EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT THEY HAVE TO DANCE. AND THE PARENTS WERE -- YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT WE 302 00:34:43,181 --> 00:34:47,685 DO, THEY HAVE TO DANCE. >> THIS WAS THEIR LIFELINE ALMOST. >> THIS IS IT. 303 00:34:47,752 --> 00:34:57,562 THEY JUST -- THEY COULD NOT IMAGINE NOT DANCE. >> Reporter: IN THE 1990s SHE FOUNDED YOUTH AMERICA GRAND 304 00:34:57,628 --> 00:35:02,433 PRIX. ♪ A BALLET COMPETITION AND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM PAIRING 305 00:35:02,500 --> 00:35:09,207 ASPIRING DANCERS WITH BALLET SCHOOLS WORLDWIDE. >> WELL, THEY WANT TO SEE HER FOR A FULL YEAR BUT YOU HAVE TO 306 00:35:09,273 --> 00:35:16,247 COME FOR THE SUMMER FIRST. >> Reporter: NOW IN A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS SHE AND THE INTERNATIONAL BALLET COMMUNITY 307 00:35:16,314 --> 00:35:24,255 SCRAMBLED TO ACTION. SAVLIEV TAPPED HER VAST NETWORK, RELOCATING MORE THAN 100 YOUNG UKRAINIAN DANCERS TO NEW SCHOOLS 308 00:35:24,322 --> 00:35:35,633 AND HOST FAMILIES. >> WE GIVE EACH CHILD A NUMBER JUST TO MOVE FASTER, AND WE SAY OKAY, NUMBER 55 IS LIKE -- JUST 309 00:35:35,700 --> 00:35:40,438 GET A SPOT IN STUTTGART. OKAY. NUMBER 54 JUST GET A SPOT IN DRESDEN. 310 00:35:40,505 --> 00:35:46,010 >> CROSS IT OFF THE LIST. >> CROSS IT OFF THE LIST. >> WHEN A SLOT OPENED FOR PAULINA, SHE STUFFED LEOTARDS 311 00:35:46,077 --> 00:35:56,387 AND TUTUS INTO A SUITCASE ALONG WITH A BOTTLE OF HER MOM'S PER PERFUME, A REMINDER OF HOME. AND THEN SHE HEADED TO THE KYIV 312 00:35:56,454 --> 00:36:00,858 TRAIN STATION. >> AND MY PARENTS ARE IN THE WINDOW OF TRAIN, THEY SAY GOOD-BYE, WE LOVE YOU, 313 00:36:00,925 --> 00:36:06,797 EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE. AND I WAS CRYING. AND WE WERE ALL CRYING. I WAS THINKING MAYBE I WOULD 314 00:36:06,864 --> 00:36:14,839 NEED TO TAKE MY SUITCASE AND GO BACK TO MY FAMILY BECAUSE MY HEART WAS BROKEN REALLY. >> HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THAT? 315 00:36:14,906 --> 00:36:22,914 WHAT MADE YOU NOT GET OFF THAT TRAIN? >> BECAUSE IT'S OPEN DOOR FOR ME. 316 00:36:22,980 --> 00:36:30,054 IT'S A DOOR FOR MY DREAM. ♪ >> Reporter: 17-YEAR-OLD THAT SHE IS, PAULINA DOCUMENTED THE 317 00:36:30,121 --> 00:36:38,596 LONELY ODYSSEY ON TIKTOK. TRAINS AND BUSES. FIVE DAYS AND 1200 MILES. KYIV TO LVIV. 318 00:36:38,663 --> 00:36:45,903 POLAND TO BERLIN. FINALLY TO AMSTERDAM, WHERE SHE LANDED AT THE DUTCH NATIONAL BALLET ACADEMY, ONE OF THE 319 00:36:45,970 --> 00:36:51,909 LEADING SCHOOLS IN THE WORLD. >> WHEN YOU GOT TO THE NEW SCHOOL AND STARTED DANCING AGAIN, HOW DID THAT FEEL? 320 00:36:51,976 --> 00:37:00,918 >> OH, I WAS VERY HAPPY. YES. MY MIND CHANGED BECAUSE I WAS THINKING ABOUT MY PARENTS ALL 321 00:37:00,985 --> 00:37:09,994 THE TIME, FOR MY FAMILY, FOR MY SISTER. AND WHEN I GO TO THE BALLET CLASS, THIS WORLD CHANGED FOR 322 00:37:10,061 --> 00:37:15,433 ME. I HAVE ANOTHER WORLD OF BALLET. >> Reporter: HER ADJUSTMENT WAS MADE EASIER WHEN SHE FOUND OTHER 323 00:37:15,499 --> 00:37:25,710 UKRAINIAN DANCE STUDENTS WHO, THANKS TO LARISA SAVLIEV, ALSO FOUND SAFE HARBOR IN AMSTERDAM. ♪ 324 00:37:25,776 --> 00:37:32,583 PAULINA FELL INTO A ROUTINE IMMEDIATELY. ON THE CUSP OF A PROFESSIONAL CAREER SHE PREPARED FOR FINAL 325 00:37:32,650 --> 00:37:40,024 EXAMS. SHE WAS JITTERY BEFOREHAND. SHE EMERGED RELIEVED, TRIUMPHANT, AND EAGER TO REPORT 326 00:37:40,091 --> 00:37:52,737 BACK TO MOM. >> WHAT DID YOU TELL HER? >> THAT I WAS NERVOUS BUT WHEN I START I DO EVERYTHING RIGHT. 327 00:37:52,803 --> 00:37:58,976 >> Reporter: IF THE WAR HAS MADE REFUGEES OUT OF SOME UKRAINIAN DANCERS, IT'S MADE SOLDIERS OUT OF OTHERS. 328 00:37:59,043 --> 00:38:08,686 WHEN THE WAR BEGAN, ALEXI POTYEMKIN, A PRINCIPAL DANCER WITH UKRAINE'S NATIONAL BALLET, TURNED IN HIS TIGHTS FOR 329 00:38:08,753 --> 00:38:14,892 MILITARY FATIGUES. HERE HE IS IN DOWNTOWN LVIV, HAVING JUST RETURNED FROM DUTY AS A MEDIC. 330 00:38:14,959 --> 00:38:21,866 >> WHAT WAS YOUR LIFE LIKE BEFORE THE WAR? >> BEFORE WAR I MUST -- I PREPARING NEW PREMIERE IN 331 00:38:21,932 --> 00:38:30,608 UKRAINIAN BALLET. NO, LIKE REAL NORMAL LIFE. AND JUST ONE MOMENT IT'S LIKE CHANGES. 332 00:38:30,675 --> 00:38:41,419 BUT I NEED TO DO SOMETHING. I CAN'T SIT JUST AT HOME IN SHELTER AND WATCH TV, HOW MY FRIENDS DIE AND EVERYONE DO 333 00:38:41,485 --> 00:38:47,324 SOMETHING. >> WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN THESE LAST FEW MONTHS? >> EVERY DAY IT'S REALLY SCARY. 334 00:38:47,391 --> 00:38:56,801 THEY CRASHED EVERYTHING, DESTROYED HOUSES OF CIVILIANS PEOPLE. IT'S BROTHERS, SON, FATHERS, 335 00:38:56,867 --> 00:39:03,340 SISTERS. >> Reporter: WHILE HE SAYS HE'S SHAKEN BY WHAT HE'S SEEN UNFOLD ON THE BATTLEFIELD, HE'S ALSO 336 00:39:03,407 --> 00:39:09,346 APPALLED BY A WAR TAKING PLACE ON ANOTHER FRONT, AT THE BOLSHOI. >> THE BOLSHOI NOW, IT'S TOXIC 337 00:39:09,413 --> 00:39:13,751 THEATER. NOBODY WANT TO WORK WITH YOU. >> YOU SAID TOXIC. >> TOXIC, YES. 338 00:39:13,818 --> 00:39:27,364 IN RUSSIA ART, IT'S POLITICS. IT'S RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT USE IT, BALLET, IT'S LIKE WEAPON. >> Reporter: THE WEAPON WAS 339 00:39:27,431 --> 00:39:33,871 DEPLOYED AT THE BOLSHOI AS RECENTLY AS THIS PAST APRIL, WHEN THE THEATER REVIVED A PRODUCTION OF "SPARTACUS" IN 340 00:39:33,938 --> 00:39:37,975 SUPPORT OF THE RUSSIAN MILITARY INVASION. UNNERVING MANY IN THE DANCE WORLD. 341 00:39:38,042 --> 00:39:47,084 INCLUDING LONG-TIME HEAD OF THE DUTCH NATIONAL BALLET, TED BRANSON. >> WELL, IT WAS A VERY CLEAR 342 00:39:47,151 --> 00:39:54,191 STATEMENT THAT WE HAVE TO SUPPORT OUR BOYS WHO ARE ON A MILITARY OPERATION TO SAVE UKRAINE FROM THE FASCISTS. 343 00:39:54,258 --> 00:40:05,136 WHICH IS A TOTALLY RIDICULOUS CONCEPT, OF COURSE. >> THIS ALLEGORY, "SPARTCACUS ABOUT THE SLAVE REVOLT IS 344 00:40:05,202 --> 00:40:11,842 SOMEHOW BEING CO-OPTED BY THE AGGRESSIVE SUPERPOWER. >> IT'S NOT FOR NOTHING THAT THIS BECAME ONE OF THE SIGNATURE 345 00:40:11,909 --> 00:40:17,248 BALANCE YAIZ OF THE BALLETS OF THE SOVIET TIME. ♪ >> Reporter: ABROAD THE BALLET 346 00:40:17,314 --> 00:40:21,952 COMMUNITY HAS STAGED BENEFIT CONCERTS TO RAISE FUNDS FOR UKRAINE. WHILE RUSSIA'S FAMED COMPANIES, 347 00:40:22,019 --> 00:40:28,359 THE BOLL SLOI AND ST. PETERSBURG'S MARIINSKYI, HAVE HAD THEIR TOURING DATES CANCELED. 348 00:40:28,425 --> 00:40:34,165 >> I THINK YOU NEED TO BE A LITTLE MORE ACTIVE WITH YOUR ARMS. >> Reporter: WITH THE IRON 349 00:40:34,231 --> 00:40:41,806 CURTAIN DOWN ARTISTS HAVE TO PICK A SIDE. ALEXEI RADMONSKI LEFT MOSCOW FOR AMERICAN BALLET THEATER IN NEW 350 00:40:41,872 --> 00:40:46,010 YORK WHERE HE IS ARTIST IN RESIDENCE AND WHERE WE SPOKE WITH HIM REMOTELY THIS PAST APRIL. 351 00:40:46,076 --> 00:40:51,115 >> IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU DON'T BUY THIS IDEA THAT INDIVIDUALS SHOULD BEAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACTS OF THE STATE, THAT 352 00:40:51,182 --> 00:40:59,824 ARTISTS SHOULD JUST BE ARTISTS. >> NO, I DON'T THINK THE ARTISTS ARE SEPARATE FROM POLITICS. AND BESIDES FOR ME IT'S NOT 353 00:40:59,890 --> 00:41:06,564 POLITICS. IT'S ABOUT HUMANITY. IT'S ABOUT RESPONDING TO WAR CRIMES. 354 00:41:06,630 --> 00:41:15,573 RESPONDING TO THE CRIMES OF YOUR GOVERNMENT, OF YOUR PRESIDENT. IT JUST MADE THINGS CLEAR, WHICH THINGS ARE IMPORTANT AND WHICH 355 00:41:15,639 --> 00:41:20,044 AREN'T. AND YOU MAKE A CHOICE. YOU DECIDE WHERE YOU WANT TO BELONG. 356 00:41:20,110 --> 00:41:26,917 >> Reporter: FOR OLGA SMIRNOVA, THAT CHOICE CAME TOGETHER IN A MATTER OF DAYS AFTER SHE CONDEMNED THE WAR. 357 00:41:26,984 --> 00:41:33,624 SHE LEFT RUSSIA AND LANDED ON HER FEET. AT THE DUTCH NATIONAL OPERA IN AMSTERDAM, JUST AROUND THE 358 00:41:33,691 --> 00:41:46,537 CORNER FROM PAULINA'S SCHOOL. >> IT MUST HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO LEAVE THE BOLSHOI. >> IF YOU MAKE A CHOICE, YOU 359 00:41:46,604 --> 00:41:57,681 HAVE CONSEQUENCES. BUT THIS IS HOW IT WORKS. I HAD TO LEAVE EVERYTHING. LIKE MY HOME, MY THEATER, MY 360 00:41:57,748 --> 00:42:08,392 REPERTOIRE, MY PARTNERS, MY PARENTS, SISTER, BROTHER. EVERYTHING. BUT I DON'T HAVE REGRETS. 361 00:42:08,459 --> 00:42:22,773 >> NO REGRETS. >> NO. BECAUSE AT LEAST I CAN BE HONEST >>> I'M JON WERTHEIM. 362 00:42:22,840 --> 00:42:36,820 WE'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH