REPORT (2025/2048(INI))
On addressing transnational repression of human rights defenders
A-10-2025-0206
Committee on Foreign Affairs · Rapporteur: Chloé Ridel
- Voted on · Adopted 512–76–52 · See the decision →
- Full procedure 2025/2048
✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 4 Sept 2026
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Parliament's resolution on addressing transnational repression of human rights defenders proposes a definition, condemns the practice, and calls for EU and Member State action to protect defenders.¶¶¶ It urges measures including visa support, monitoring mechanisms, regulation of digital technologies, and sanctions against perpetrators.¶¶¶
Key points
- Proposes defining transnational repression as cross-border attacks by states or proxies to coerce, control or silence dissidents, including physical and digital methods.¶
- Condemns all forms of transnational repression and calls for a broadly agreed definition and legal framework at multilateral, regional and national levels.¶
- Condemns digital and gender-based digital transnational repression, including AI-powered surveillance, hacking, and online harassment targeting women defenders.¶¶
- Condemns legal and diplomatic pressure, including politically motivated Interpol red notices and abuse of 'terrorist' labelling, and calls for caution on extradition requests.¶¶
- Calls on the Commission, Member States and EEAS to address transnational repression in human rights dialogues and include it in the post-2027 EU Action Plan and EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders.¶¶
- Urges fast-track, flexible support for targeted defenders, including emergency support, temporary relocation, digital security training, and psychosocial support.¶
- Calls on Member States to protect defenders seeking asylum, including issuing humanitarian visas in urgent cases and avoiding deportation to countries where they face repression.¶¶
- Calls for coordinated data collection and monitoring mechanisms, including a centralised mapping mechanism by the Commission and national focal points.¶¶¶
- Calls for strict oversight of spyware exports and enforcement of the Digital Services Act to hold technology companies accountable for enabling digital repression.¶¶¶
- Calls for sanctions under the EU global human rights sanctions regime, including listing perpetrators and expelling diplomats involved in transnational repression.¶
- Calls for increased funding for ProtectDefenders.eu and broadening its mandate to include defenders at risk within the EU.¶
Who is affected
- Human rights defenders, dissidents, journalists and diaspora members targeted by transnational repression.¶¶
- EU Member States, the Commission, the EEAS and Europol, which are called on to implement protection and monitoring measures.¶¶¶
- Technology companies and spyware exporters, which face due diligence and accountability requirements.¶¶
- Non-EU countries that engage in transnational repression, which may face sanctions and diplomatic pressure.¶
Figures and deadlines
- Over 25 % of the world's governments engaged in transnational repression from 2014 to 2024, with 1,219 incidents across 103 countries.¶
- Ten regimes account for nearly 80 % of cases: China, Türkiye, Tajikistan, Russia, Egypt, Cambodia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Belarus.
Legal basis: Articles 3 and 21 of the Treaty on European Union¶