Dictators' Global Hunt for Overseas Dissent and Transnational Repression

• In Event: State Repression and Human Rights

Abstract

Research focusing on why and how citizens are repressed by foreign regimes they oppose has garnered increasing attention. However, there's a notable gap in understanding the variation in repressive methods regimes employ to persecute overseas dissidents. We posit that methods of transnational repression are governed by the reachability of overseas targets and the need to respect territorial sovereignty. When these targets are easily reachable through the cooperation of host states, tactics like violent arrests and forced repatriations are favored and foreign sovereignty is respected. Conversely, when the targeted groups are difficult to access and the home state must deploy its own secret agents for offshore repression, non-violent methods such as harassment and intimidation will be preferred to avoid overt sovereignty violations. Our study, using data on China's repression of Uyghur diasporas, corroborates this expectation and sheds light on transnational human rights abuses and strategies to counteract diaspora persecution.

Authors

• Howard Liu, University of South Carolina

• Deki Peldon, University of South Carolina