Congressional hearing spotlights rising global pattern of transnational repression and gaps in U.S. response

Congressman James P. McGovern, chairman of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, opened a hearing on transnational repression by defining the problem as “when human rights violations cross borders,” and urged lawmakers to center responses on victims.

The panel of human-rights advocates, journalists and researchers described a widening array of tactics used by governments to silence critics abroad — from killings, abductions and bounties to online harassment, spyware, mutual-legal-assistance requests and the closing of bank accounts — and recommended a mix of legislation, executive action and community support to protect diaspora communities.

Freedom House researcher Grama Goroskovskaya, research director for strategy and design at Freedom House, said the organization’s database catalogs 1,219 verified incidents of transnational repression across 103 countries (2014–2024) and reported three striking patterns: the practice is geographically widespread, China is the single most prolific perpetrator, and in roughly two-thirds of incidents host-state authorities have cooperated with perpetrator states through mechanisms such as Interpol notices, extradition requests and unlawful deportation. “This really only represents the tip of the iceberg,” Goroskovskaya said, urging an official U.S. definition of transnational repression, wider law-enforcement training and multilateral cooperation.

Ludmila Lavska, president of the Open Dialogue Foundation, testified that authoritarian regimes are weaponizing financial- and cybersecurity‑compliance regimes — including guidance from the Financial Action Task Force — to choke civil-society groups and dissidents abroad. Lavska said banks, crypto‑asset services and crowdfunding platforms have closed accounts after being pressured or receiving high‑risk categorizations, forcing some organizations to shift to peer‑to‑peer cryptocurrency transfers to continue humanitarian work.

Investigative journalist Ahmad Noorani described his own case of retaliation by Pakistani authorities after reporting on military corruption: relatives were abducted and held for 33 days, and family bank accounts — including his 66‑year‑old mother’s pension account — remain blocked, he said. Noorani called the campaign “state terrorism” and urged Congress to investigate and to use sanctions tools against responsible actors.

Panelists also detailed other country‑specific patterns. Witnesses described the June 2023 killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada and alleged plots against U.S.-based Sikh activists; multiple witnesses urged that the U.S. review Canadian intelligence and consider visa bans or sanctions where credible evidence exists. Joey Hsu, a Hong Kong exile and activist, said Hong Kong authorities issued a HK$1,000,000 bounty against her in December 2023 and described family members being summoned and questioned as a form of coercion. Paolo Figueredo and other witnesses described legal and Interpol‑driven pressures by Brazilian authorities against journalists and political opponents.

Witnesses recommended specific U.S. responses. Those included reintroducing the Transnational Repression Policy Act to require an interagency strategy; a Government Accountability Office or FinCEN review into how anti‑money‑laundering and cybersecurity frameworks are abused to freeze or terminate U.S. financial services for targeted activists and organizations; broader use of visa bans and Global Magnitsky sanctions; expanded training for federal, state and local law enforcement on TNR tactics; increased funding for organizations that document and support exiled journalists and human‑rights defenders (for example, the National Endowment for Democracy, Radio Free Asia and Voice of America); and passage of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act to limit certain Chinese government outposts in the United States.

Several witnesses told commissioners that, in practice, victims face hurdles when seeking help from U.S. law enforcement. Noorani said FBI intake staff interviewed him but required “very solid evidence” such as video footage, which he said was often seized or destroyed by perpetrators. Other witnesses urged expanded language access at FBI hotlines, survivor‑informed support services, and better coordination between federal and local law enforcement to avoid both under‑response and discriminatory overreach.

Panelists also flagged institutional and political obstacles to an effective U.S. response. Freedom House said several of its programs on transnational repression were curtailed after a State Department contract was halted in late 2024, which witnesses argued has reduced capacity to monitor incidents and support diaspora communities. Multiple witnesses said consistency matters: they urged that the United States apply tools such as visa bans and sanctions without double standards when perpetrators are strategic partners.

Chairman McGovern closed the hearing by urging bipartisan action and saying he and co‑chair Rep. Chris Smith would continue to press for legislative solutions. The witnesses left a common set of demands: define transnational repression in U.S. law, fund monitoring and survivor services, instruct and resource law enforcement to handle TNR cases appropriately, and use targeted diplomatic and sanctions tools when evidence indicates state‑sponsored cross‑border repression.

Ending note: The hearing compiled firsthand accounts and policy recommendations but recorded no formal committee votes. Several witnesses asked Congress to pursue investigations, sanctions and legislation; commissioners said they would continue work on drafting bills and oversight steps.