Growth of foreign repression on UK soil going unchecked – JCHR report warns

The Joint Committee on Human Rights has called for stronger action to stop the growth of transnational repression (TNR). In a report published today, it warns that foreign governments are being increasingly bold in attempts to silence and intimidate individuals and communities in the UK. The Joint Committee calls on the Government to do more to protect and support victims.  

The Government should show leadership to prevent criminal justice mechanisms being exploited by foreign governments to silence dissent. Steps should be taken to prevent vexatious law suits and misuse of INTERPOL red notices to target political opponents. 

Current support for individuals and communities at risk of transnational repression is inadequate leaving victims unsure of how to get help, the report finds. It calls for improved police training to deal with incidents of TNR and a dedicated reporting line to provide support and triage cases to law enforcement.  

The number of state-threat investigations run by MI5 has grown by 48% since 2022. Evidence submitted to the inquiry included cases of coercion, online threats and physical violence. The growth of TNR online is a serious concern and needs to be closely monitored. 

The Committee received credible evidence that a number of states have engaged in acts of transnational repression on UK soil. It received evidence alleging that Bahrain, China, Egypt, Eritrea, India, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates have each conducted acts of transnational repression on UK soil.  

The Joint Committee plans to write to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to highlight the evidence it received. 

Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, Lord David Alton said: 

“The UK should be a place of sanctuary and safety, however we are concerned that there is a growth of foreign repression on UK soil that is going unchecked. 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.  

“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.” 

Tackling the threat from foreign governments

The new Foreign Influence Registration Scheme is a welcome step but will need to accurately reflect the threat posed by foreign governments. Iran and Russia have been rightly included on the enhanced tier. The Committee calls on the Government to make TNR a key consideration in which countries are designated part of the enhanced tier. The exclusion of China from the enhanced tier is a serious concern given the extensive evidence of their involvement in campaigns of transnational repression. The Committee recommends that China is specified under the enhanced tier of the scheme. 

Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) are increasingly used to silence and intimidate people who expose or criticise the actions of authoritarian regimes. The impact of the cost and stress of lengthy legal action needs to be addressed. The Government should assess the impact of new measures designed to tackle SLAPPs related to economic crime and introduce new legislation to address the use of SLAPPs more broadly. 

INTERPOL red notices are being systematically exploited to pursue political opponents, human rights defenders and journalists beyond national borders. Notices are issued without the knowledge of those targeted, leaving those targeted uncertain of if they can travel without risk of detention. The Government should put pressure on INTERPOL to reform red notice procedures and call out serial abusers of the system. It should also consider a formal mechanism for notifying individuals where the is strong evidence of a red notice being politically motivated. 

Foreign policy decisions and international trade partnerships are often made without sufficient consideration of the TNR record of perpetrator states. The Committee find that a failure to acknowledge and respond to instances of TNR as part of the UK's diplomatic relations with perpetrator countries risks emboldening authoritarian regimes to escalate TNR activities. The Government should ensure that diplomatic responses, such as the expulsion of officials and the imposition of sanctions, are proactively and visibly deployed in response to serious incidents. 

Supporting victims and communities

The lack of an effective reporting mechanism is leaving victims without adequate support and undermining the UK's ability to monitor and respond to threats. Police lack knowledge of how to respond to TNR and approaches vary amongst forces. 

A dedicated national reporting hotline should be set up, staffed by specialist staff able to give victims the guidance they need and with efficient referral pathways to law enforcement. The hotline would also provide an important source of data to improve understanding of the transnational repression threat in the UK. 

A proactive outreach strategy should be developed to support individuals and communities at greatest risk of transnational repression. It should provide information about the methods and tactics commonly used by foreign governments, as well as information about how to report incidents and where to access support. 

The rollout of new police training focussed on improving awareness of transnational repression is welcome. The Government should ensure this is adopted widely and consider making training mandatory for all officers. 

Whilst the Committee found that existing criminal law offers a relatively effective framework for dealing with offences related to TNR, transnational repression is constantly evolving and the Government will need to assess if emerging technologies will necessitate a legislative response in the future.