FBI Dallas is bringing awareness to transnational repression, a lesser-known crime impacting communities in North Texas.
Transnational repression is when a foreign nation, or someone working for that nation, reaches beyond their borders to intimidate, silence, coerce, harass, or harm members of their diaspora and exile communities in the United States.
Transnational repression is a complex threat that impedes the rights and freedoms of people in the United States. It can take many forms, including:
- stalking or intimidation
- harassment or threats of physical violence
- hacking
- forcing or coercing victims to return to their home country
- threatening or detaining family members in their home country
- abusive legal practices: freezing financial assets, withholding legal documents, lawsuits
- online disinformation campaigns
- attempted kidnapping
- attempted murder
Foreign nations use transnational repression to target various groups of individuals, including:
- exiles, dissidents, political or human rights activists, journalists, political opponents, or members of religious or ethnic minority communities
- friends or family of victims are also harassed or detained
But transnational repression harms more than its direct targets. For individuals that have not been targeted, it nonetheless creates fear about whether it is safe to express their opinions. It is that silence that a foreign government hopes to achieve.
“The FBI believes transnational repression often goes unreported,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “We are bringing awareness to this threat to educate our communities on its effects and encourage victims of transnational repression to come forward.”
To report suspected incidents of transnational repression, call 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit tips.fbi.gov.