Transnational Repression: A Growing Global Threat to Human Rights and Sovereignty

Transnational repression––the practice of authoritarian regimes targeting dissidents beyond their borders—has become an increasingly urgent issue, threatening not only individual freedoms but also the integrity of host nations that provide refuge to exiles. A new report from Freedom House covering a decade of data highlights the extent of this phenomenon, detailing 1,219 incidents perpetrated by 48 governments in 103 countries. As democracies work to counter these tactics, the issue remains fraught with challenges, including a lack of a uniform definition, legal gaps in protection mechanisms, and concerns over the misuse of Interpol red notices to justify politically motivated extraditions.[1]