Transnational Repression Growing ‘Unchecked' in UK, Parliamentary Report Warns
Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) said in its report that foreign states, including Russia, China, and Iran, have targeted individuals in the UK using a range of tactics, such as surveillance, online harassment, police bounties, INTERPOL Red Notices, lawsuits, and assassinations.
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Epoch Times
6 days ago
- Epoch Times
Transnational Repression Growing ‘Unchecked' in UK, Parliamentary Report Warns
Transnational repression by foreign governments has been growing 'unchecked' in the UK, a parliamentary committee warned in a report published on Wednesday. Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) said in its report that foreign states, including Russia, China, and Iran, have targeted individuals in the UK using a range of tactics, such as surveillance, online harassment, police bounties, INTERPOL Red Notices, lawsuits, and assassinations.
Forbes
30-07-2025
- Forbes
British Parliamentarians Warn About Transnational Repression In The U.K.
[Stock photo] View of Big Ben and Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London, as thunderclouds loom ... More over the capital. (Photo credit: Dinendra Haria/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) On July 30, 2025, a Parliamentary committee in the United Kingdom published a report warning about the ever-growing issue of transnational repression on British soil. The report produced by the Joint Committee on Human Rights, a committee consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament (House of Commons and House of Lords), to examine matters relating to human rights within the United Kingdom, found that foreign governments are being increasingly bold in attempts to silence and intimidate individuals and communities in the U.K. Transnational repression refers to a range of tactics that foreign governments employ to reach beyond their borders to harm, intimidate, threaten, harass, or coerce individuals. Transnational repression may take various forms, including, but not limited to, stalking, online disinformation campaigns, harassment, intimidation or threats, threatening or detaining family members or friends in the country of origin, abusive legal practices, cyberhacking, among others. Those targeted often include political dissidents, activists, journalists, and political opponents, among others. The Committee received credible evidence that a number of states have engaged in acts of transnational repression on U.K. soil. These actions have a serious impact on those targeted, instilling fear, and limiting their freedom of expression and movement, among others. The Committee identified several countries which are notorious when it comes to targeting individuals in the U.K., including China, Russia and Iran. As the report explains, China has been resorting to tactics such as surveillance, online harassment, and threats to family members abroad as means of transnational repression. China has also placed 'bounties' on several individuals, offering a $HK1 million reward for information leading to their capture abroad. Among their targets is Chloe Cheung, a 19-year-old, who is sought by Hong Kong authorities for alleged violations of the controversial National Security Law. The report further warns that China operates unofficial Chinese 'police stations' in the U.K. They are said to monitor and pressure members of the Chinese diaspora. Russia, on the other hand, is accused of misusing INTERPOL Red Notices and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) to intimidate and silence journalists, activists, and other critics. This is in addition to Russia conducting attacks on individuals on British soil, including the Salisbury nerve agent attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal, among others. Iran has been resorting to assassination plots, physical attacks, intimidation of family members, asset freezing, judicial proceedings, smear campaigns, online abuse, surveillance and digital attacks such as hacking, doxing and impersonation, targeting individuals in the U.K. Iranian 'cultural centers' are said to be used as fronts for surveillance operations targeting members of the Iranian diaspora. Journalists covering the situation in Iran are at particular risk and have been subjected to some of the most aggressive forms of transnational repression. As Reporters without Borders is quoted in the report: 'Iranian women journalists have been subjected to gendered and sexualized abuse, including explicit threats of rape or sexual violence towards them or their families (including children), the circulation of fake stories designed to ruin their reputations and photoshopped pornographic images.' Other countries accused of using transnational repression in the U.K. include Bahrain, Egypt, Eritrea, India, Pakistan, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Despite the litany of cases, especially as seen in recent years, the Committee warns that the U.K. currently lacks a clear strategy to address the issue of transnational repression. There is no formal definition of transnational repression in the U.K., and the government does not routinely collect data on such targeting, and in turn, authorities cannot understand the scale and nature of the threat in the U.K. Furthermore, police officers often lack the training necessary to respond effectively to transnational repression, resulting in inconsistent and ineffective support for transnational repression victims. Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, Lord David Alton of Liverpool, commented: 'The U.K. should be a place of sanctuary and safety; however, we are concerned that there is a growth of foreign repression on U.K. soil that is going unchecked. This risks undermining the U.K.'s ability to protect the human rights of its citizens and those who have sought safety within its borders. We have seen prominent cases of Hong Kongers with bounties placed on their heads, Iran intimidating journalists, but evidence submitted to the inquiry suggests this may be the tip of the iceberg.' The issue of transnational repression requires comprehensive responses. The Joint Committee on Human Rights identified several important recommendations to help the U.K. deal with the issue. While direct at the U.K., many of the recommendations are transferable and should be adopted by other States too.
Yahoo
29-07-2025
- Yahoo
Foreign repression on UK soil rising ‘unchecked', MPs and peers warn
Foreign states are becoming bolder in their attempts to silence dissidents in the UK and the Government must take stronger action, parliamentarians have warned. In a report published on Wednesday, the Joint Committee on Human Rights said transnational repression had increased in recent years, with foreign states using online harassment, lawsuits and physical violence to intimidate people in the UK. MI5 investigations into threats from other states have increased 48% since 2022, the report said, while committee chairman Lord David Alton warned the rise was 'going unchecked'. He said: 'This risks undermining the UK's ability to protect the human rights of its citizens and those who have sought safety within its borders. 'We have seen prominent cases of Hong Kongers with bounties placed on their heads, Iran intimidating journalists – but evidence submitted to the inquiry suggest this may be the tip of the iceberg.' The warning comes amid rising concern about transnational repression, including reports that China has offered rewards for people turning in pro-democracy Hong Kong activists based in the UK. Last month, Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee warned that Iran had attempted to kidnap or murder at least 15 UK-based people since 2022, while Russia has also targeted dissidents including the attempt to kill Sergei and Yulia Skripal with Novichok in 2018. While the cross-party human rights committee said China, Russia and Iran were the 'most flagrant' perpetrators of transnational repression in the UK, it highlighted evidence suggesting a string of other countries including India, Rwanda, Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain had sought to target people in Britain. MPs and peers said they had also received 'substantial' evidence of intimidation by the Eritrean government, including surveillance of anti-government activists and infiltration of community groups and churches in an effort to isolate opponents of the regime. The committee went on to criticise Interpol, saying the organisation had refused to acknowledge misuse of 'red notices' – international requests for an arrest – to harass dissidents or take any steps to address this. Almost half of the 6,550 public red notices currently in circulation have been issued at Russia's request. Lord Alton said: 'We want to see a two-pronged approach from the Government. 'More needs to be done to give support and protection to the individuals and communities most at risk of transnational repression. 'We also want to see transnational repression prioritised in diplomatic relations and leadership at an international level to tackle the misuse and exploitation of systems of justice to silence and intimidate.' As well as pressing Interpol for action on abuse of red notices, the committee urged the Government to provide more training on transnational repression for police officers in the UK and greater protection from vexatious lawsuits known as Slapps (strategic lawsuits against public participation). The committee also called for China to be placed in the highest tier of the foreign influence registration scheme that came into effect last month, saying its omission risked 'undermining the credibility and coherence' of the scheme given the extent of Chinese transnational repression. An Interpol spokesperson said: 'Every year, thousands of the world's most serious criminals are arrested thanks to Interpol's systems. 'Children are saved from sexual exploitation and terrorists, cyber criminals and traffickers are brought to justice. 'Interpol knows red notices are powerful tools for law enforcement co-operation, which is why we have robust processes for ensuring that all Interpol notices and diffusions comply with our rules. 'Our constitution forbids Interpol from undertaking activities of a political, military, religious or racial character and all our databases and activities must also comply with the universal declaration for human rights.' A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We take the threat of transnational repression extremely seriously. 'Any attempts by a foreign state to coerce, intimidate, harass, or harm individuals on UK soil are considered a threat to our national security and sovereignty, and will not be tolerated. 'The committee's review echoes many of the same findings and recommendations from the Defending Democracy Taskforce report on TNR, published in May, and we are already taking action arising from those recommendations to further strengthen our response.'
