Transnational Repression

The number of repressive regimes is growing – and so is the number of people seeking refuge from political persecution in Europe. They are courageous journalists, human rights defenders, opposition figures – the voices we need most if we want to build a more just and democratic world. Yet even here, many are not safe.

Authoritarian governments continue to target critics – and even ordinary citizens – across borders: through intimidation, cyberattacks, threats against family members, and pressure on diaspora communities. For many, exile means distance – but not safety.

Those who speak out for human rights, democracy and free media are increasingly targeted. What may appear to be isolated cases is, in reality, a global pattern: systematic, coordinated, and growing in scale. Autocrats cooperate to expand their reach and to silence dissent.

And Europe must respond. When threats cross borders, when intimidation forces people into silence, when regimes infiltrate our emails, our phones, and our thoughts – it is time to act.

Transnational Repression concerns all of us. It strikes at the heart of democracy: the freedom to speak without fear.
Let us work together to ensure that exile means not only distance, but real safety.

In the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament, I am currently drafting a report to strengthen the protection of those affected and to improve cooperation between EU institutions, security agencies and Member States. My goal: to finally stop Transnational Repression in Europe.

If you are affected by Transnational Repression, or if your organisation works on this issue and would like to contribute, please contact us at mail@stoptransnationalrepression.eu.