Transnational repression is a dangerous phenomenon that is becoming more and more common in today’s globalized world. It occurs when states use violence, threats, or intimidation against people who live outside of their boundaries. This devious strategy targets a broad range of people, such as journalists, human rights activists, political dissidents, and members of racial or religious minorities.Targeted killings, kidnappings, and retaliation against family members are some of the most severe examples of transnational persecution. Particularly, India has been the subject of accusations of transnational persecution recently; in November 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice unveiled an indictment. According to this indictment, the Indian government planned an attempt on the life of a Sikh activist with the intention of starting a string of such killings in the US and Canada.
Furthermore, Indian authorities have become more invasive than ever before, using sophisticated cyber tactics and internet harassment campaigns to threaten foreign journalists and activists who support the rights of religious minorities. Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s June 2023, State Visit to the United States, remarks made by Amit Malviya, the head of the Indian Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) information and technology department, sparked an online campaign against Wall Street Journal journalist Sabrina Siddiqui in the United States. This transnational repression was brought to light. After Siddiqui asked a question concerning the state of religious freedom in India, a wave of targeted harassment ensued. The state of affairs highlights a worrying pattern in which concerted attempts are made to repress dissident voices, even outside of India. Commissioner David Curry of the U.S. India’s use of harsh laws, such as the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and anti-conversion laws, to repress religious minorities, journalists, and activists inside its borders has been denounced by the Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). He highlighted the intimidation strategies used against journalists and the risky extension of this repression to target Indian religious communities abroad. Since 2020, USCIRF has repeatedly advised the U.S. Department of State to classify India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), citing concerns about breaches of religious freedom. The USCIRF’s 2023 Annual Report reaffirmed this proposal and provided an issue update on state-level anti-conversion laws in India. This report shed light on how the government is using these laws to discriminate against religious minorities. In order to discuss the state of religious freedom in India and potential areas of cooperation between the Indian and American governments in addressing these violations, USCIRF convened a hearing in September 2023. These events highlight how crucial it is to maintain worldwide attention and involvement in order to defend the rights of religious minorities and preserve freedom of speech, both inside and outside of India.
The accusations that the Indian intelligence service was involved in two murder plots in the United States and Canada have raised severe concerns, which the White House has called “a serious matter.” The Indian government, including senior-level officials, has been implicated, according to evidence produced by both American and Indian investigations into the killing of a Sikh leader in Canada and the attempted killing of Sikh leaders of Indian descent in the United States. The Prime Minister of India, the Defense Minister, and other authorities have publicly admitted that India targets people who are wanted within its borders. “Pakistan meinghuskarmaaren gay” (We will intrude into Pakistan and kill them there) was the statement made by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in response to a report published in ‘The Guardian’ regarding the death of twenty Pakistanis by India within Pakistan. PM Modi’s recent claims during an election campaign of eliminating dissents inside Pakistan is another example of India’s transnational policy of terrorism.The frightening scope of state-sponsored violence is brought to light by these declarations and disclosures, underscoring the critical need for openness, responsibility, and international oversight in order to stop further escalation and safeguard human rights.
The Khalistan Movement-aligned activists’ deaths provided insight into a more comprehensive plan implemented by India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).This strategy includes sending RAW agents to Indian embassies in Canada, the US, and Europe, all of which have substantial Sikh populations. After Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s abortive attempt to assassinate him in New York, US intelligence services have linked RAW agents to the targeting of Sikh leaders who support Khalistan. International censure of India’s covert efforts has resulted from the prompt action of US and Canadian authorities, preventing additional attacks on Sikh leaders. The Sikh community is deeply outraged by the assassinations of Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, two vocal supporters of Khalistan, underscoring their continuous fight for justice.
U.S. intelligence agencies have reached a similar conclusion, highlighting the Indian government’s hierarchical structure and AjitDoval’s significant influence. According to U.S. sources, CIA analysts have determined that Doval either knew about or approved of the schemes RAW had developed to kill Sikhs considered terrorists. Suspicions have been raised about RAW’s possible role in the death of Sikh activist Avtar Singh Khanda, who died in Birmingham three days before Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed in Canada. Officials in Britain have declared that Khanda died of leukemia and natural causes, but his family and supporters are still calling for more investigations. Speaking to an enthusiastic assembly of supporters, Narendra Modi said, “Today, even India’s adversaries recognize: This is Modi, this is the New India.” He underlined that in order to eradicate any dangers, this “New India” will do whatever it took, even breaking into homes. International security, democracy, and human rights are all directly threatened by the increasing occurrence of transnational repression. The latest accusations involving India serve as a sobering reminder of how vital it is to confront this worldwide issue and bring those responsible to justice.
–The author is an independent researcher who writes on issues concerning national and regional security, focusing on matters having critical impact in these milieus. She can be reached at omayaimen333@gmail.com
