LONDON: Foreign states are becoming bolder in their attempts to silence dissidents in the UK and the government must take stronger action, parliamentarians have warned.
In a report, the Joint Committee on Human Rights said transnational repression had increased in recent years, with foreign states using online harassment, lawsuits and physical violence to intimidate people in the UK.
MI5 investigations into threats from other states have increased 48% since 2022, the report said, while committee chairman Lord David Alton warned the rise was “going unchecked”.
He said: “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.”
Last month, Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee warned that Iran had attempted to kidnap or murder at least 15 UK-based people since 2022, while Russia has also targeted dissidents including the attempt to kill Sergei and Yulia Skripal with Novichok in 2018.
While the cross-party human rights committee said China, Russia and Iran were the “most flagrant” perpetrators of transnational repression in the UK, it highlighted evidence suggesting a string of other countries including India, Rwanda, Egypt, and Bahrain had sought to target people in Britain.
MPs and peers said they had also received “substantial” evidence of intimidation by the Eritrean government, including surveillance of anti-government activists and infiltration of community groups and churches in an effort to isolate opponents of the regime.
The committee went on to criticise Interpol, saying the organisation had refused to acknowledge misuse of “red notices” – international requests for an arrest – to harass dissidents or take any steps to address this. Almost half of the 6,550 public red notices currently in circulation have been issued at Russia’s request.
Lord Alton said: “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.”
As well as pressing Interpol for action on abuse of red notices, the committee urged the government to provide more training on transnational repression for police officers in the UK and greater protection from vexatious lawsuits known as Slapps (strategic lawsuits against public participation).
The committee also called for China to be placed in the highest tier of the foreign influence registration scheme that came into effect last month, saying its omission risked “undermining the credibility and coherence” of the scheme given the extent of Chinese transnational repression.
An Interpol spokesperson said: “Every year, thousands of the world’s most serious criminals are arrested thanks to Interpol’s systems. Children are saved from sexual exploitation, and terrorists, cyber criminals and traffickers are brought to justice.”
“Interpol knows red notices are powerful tools for law enforcement co-operation, which is why we have robust processes for ensuring that all Interpol notices and diffusions comply with our rules.”
“Our constitution forbids Interpol from undertaking activities of a political, military, religious or racial character, and all our databases and activities must also comply with the universal declaration for human rights.”
