Addressing and Countering Transnational Repression in the UK (ACT-UK)

Project summary:

A defining feature of dictatorships is their relentless policing and suppression of dissidents—not just at home, but also abroad. With the number of autocratic regimes on the brink of superseding that of democracies globally, they are extending their reach. Between 2018 and 2021, dictatorships were responsible for as many as 600 attacks on opponents in exile—a phenomenon known as ‘transnational repression’. 

For democracies, resisting this pressure is not only about protecting individuals at risk—it is a broader test of their resilience against authoritarian encroachment. A report by Freedom House warns that the UK is "the site of numerous high-profile attacks against exiles and is an important destination for diasporas at risk of transnational repression". Numerous cases such as the poisoning of former Russian insiders Sergei Skripal and Alexander Litvinenko, the assassination of Rwandan opposition figures, and threats against Iranian journalists and Hong Kong protest leaders highlight the growing challenge. Understanding the scale of the threat and strengthening the UK’s ability to respond is critical—not just for those affected, but for the country’s broader democratic resilience in an era of rising authoritarian influence. 

Addressing & Countering Transnational Repression in the UK (ACT-UK) is a project which benefits from the support of the Parliament’s Hub on International Affairs and National Security—a community of policy staff supporting MPs. This offers direct access to policymakers. ACT-UK provides the first full assessment of (a) the nature and extent of transnational repression in the UK (e.g. perpetrators/victims), (b) how the government has responded (both in its domestic policy towards target communities and in its foreign policy towards perpetrator states), (c) how the UK strategy compares with that of other democracies.