Thirty-two international human rights groups on Wednesday urged Council of Europe member states to adopt a legally binding convention against transnational repression (TNR), warning that Europe has become a central arena for governments targeting dissidents, journalists and activists living in exile.
The groups said a binding instrument is urgently needed because existing safeguards, such as the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), have failed to keep pace with the increasingly sophisticated methods governments use to pursue critics abroad.
Transnational repression practices include abductions, forced renditions, misuse of extraditions and INTERPOL systems, digital harassment and threats against family members. Freedom House has documented more than 1,000 cases of transnational repression since 2014, spanning 100 countries and involving at least 44 perpetrator states. In a 2023 report the human rights watchdog listed China, Turkey and Russia as the most prolific perpetrators of transnational repression.
The signatory groups said there is still no European or international instrument that directly addresses transnational repression, leaving protections scattered across various human rights mechanisms. They argued that the Council of Europe is uniquely positioned to establish clear standards and lead a coordinated response.
According to the statement, a new convention would define transnational repression in international law, set obligations for host states to protect individuals under threat, ensure access to remedies and prevent complicity in TNR, regulate and prevent the misuse of legal mechanisms and establish frameworks for victim protection. It would also promote cooperation among countries and ensure accountability for perpetrators.
The organizations called on member states to formally recognize TNR as a systemic threat, support a binding convention and involve civil society and affected communities in drafting it.
“By taking this step, the Council of Europe can reaffirm its historic role as a guardian of democratic freedoms and demonstrate its determination to counter modern authoritarian reach with coordinated and principled action,” the statement said.
Signatories include Freedom House, ARTICLE 19 Europe, the Human Rights Foundation, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), the Center for Civil Liberties, Memorial Human Rights Defense Center, Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO) and others.
