Executive Summary

Transnational repression is when governments use tactics to control or punish people–typically their citizens–living outside their country, especially political exiles, critics, or dissidents.

Most countries lack a legal definition of transnational repression, even though its tactics—such as killings, expulsions, abductions, targeting relatives, abusing consular services, and digital surveillance—have serious negative impacts on free speech.

Several governments have started implementing policies to combat transnational repression, but without global legislation and coordinated countermeasures—notably the immunity of transnational repression on digital platforms—there’s little reason to believe it will stop.

Images Sourced From: Freedom House, Etan Liam