China is the ‘most prolific perpetrator’ of transnational repression: Freedom House

By Tenzin Nyidon

DHARAMSHALA, April 8: International human rights advocacy organisation Freedom House released a report, “Still Not Safe: Transnational Repressions in 2022,” and listed the Chinese government as “the most prolific perpetrators of transnational repression” since 2014 along with Turkey, Russia, Egypt, and Tajikistan. 

According to the report, China is the origin country for 30 percent of all recorded physical incidents of transnational repression. The report lists a series of physical incidents of transnational repression that have taken place in Europe, including the harassment of activists by officials from China, the high-profile poisonings of Russian exiles and the assault of a pro-democracy activist by a Chinese consulate staff in Manchester.

The findings also detailed the wide arrays of tactics of transnational repression employed by China, including, unexplained disappearance, assassination, assault, unlawful detention and deportation, physical and digital threats, Interpol abuse, passport and document controls, spyware and coercion by the government to silence dissent among diaspora and exiles. “Transnational repression is a tool of global authoritarianism and imperils human rights, democratic values, and national security,’ Freedom House said. 

Freedom House also stated the positive steps undertaken by the government of the US and UK in combating transnational repression, which has not only raised awareness about the threat of transnational repression but has taken proactive steps to criminalise acts of the already existing tactics of transnational repression against the perpetrators. Freedom House recommended the government, civil society organisations, and technology companies to take action, and accountability while constraining the ability of the states to commit transnational repression, thus, protecting exiles and diaspora.