UK Parliamentary Report Warns of Growing Transnational Repression Threats from Russia, China, Iran, and India

A recent UK parliamentary report highlights the escalating threat of transnational repression (TNR) targeting the United Kingdom, implicating countries such as Russia, China, Iran, and India. TNR involves foreign governments engaging in activities like harassment, intimidation, and violence against individuals beyond their borders, undermining fundamental human rights including free expression, safety, and movement. The report details a 48% increase in MI5 investigations related to state threats and over 20 cases linked to Iran since 2022, illustrating the growing scope of TNR within UK territory. Tactics employed include online disinformation campaigns, surveillance, physical assaults, and assassination attempts, with specific examples citing China’s use of monitoring stations and bounty programs, Russia’s deployment of INTERPOL Red Notices and high-profile attacks such as the Salisbury nerve agent incident, Iran’s targeting of dissidents and journalists, and India’s alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings and plots against separatist supporters. India has dismissed the report as biased and unsubstantiated, while Canada and the US have raised concerns about Indian activiti...