Robert L. Bernstein (1923-2019) was a prominent American book publisher who founded Human Rights Watch. He joined Random House in 1956, rising to become its president from 1966 to 1990 and chairman from 1990 to 1992. Under his leadership, Random House published works by acclaimed authors including William Styron, Truman Capote, and Dr. Seuss, and he played a key role in acquiring Alfred A. Knopf's publishing house. Bernstein began his career after serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a Japanese language specialist. He was a vocal advocate for human rights, founding Helsinki Watch in 1978 to monitor compliance with the Helsinki Accords, which later evolved into Human Rights Watch; he served as its president until 1998 and later as president emeritus. In 2009, he publicly criticized Human Rights Watch in a New York Times op-ed for alleged bias against Israel, sparking debate within the organization. Bernstein was also involved in philanthropy, supporting Jewish causes and education through foundations like the Bernstein Family Foundation.