Freedom House is engaged in a multiyear study of transnational repression. Its latest report, Defending Democracy in Exile, published in June 2022, examines what is being done to protect exiles and diaspora members who are being intimidated and attacked by the governments from which they fled. The report assesses the responses mounted by host governments, international organizations, and technology companies. It builds on the findings of Out of Sight, Not Out of Reach: The Global Scale and Scope of Transnational Repression—the first global study of this dangerous practice, which Freedom House released in February 2021.

Related resources:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86Q_9IUosCE&t=71s
• https://freedomhouse.org/report/transnational-repression

The project compiled a catalogue of 608 direct, physical cases of transnational repression since 2014. In each incident, the origin country’s authorities physically reached an individual living abroad, whether through detention, assault, physical intimidation, unlawful deportation, rendition, or suspected assassination.

In this report, we describe how Canadian activists and dissidents living in exile in Canada are impacted by digital transnational repression. We conclude that digital transnational repression has a serious impact on these communities, including their ability to undertake transnational advocacy work related to human rights.

https://citizenlab.ca/2022/03/psychological-emotional-war-digital-transnational-repression-canada/

The purpose of this case study is to learn about the specific experiences and needs of Nicaraguan HRDs exiled in Costa Rica and provide recommendations to strengthen and expand their support and protection.