In September 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation filed an indictment in the US District Court for the attempted murder of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, an American Sikh from New York. After a months-long investigation, the FBI had gathered credible evidence that agents of foreign governments were responsible for orchestrating the murder of Pannun, and various other Sikh individuals in the United States, Canada and in other five eye nations.

The US Government saw this as a gross violation of the sovereignty of the country and knew it had to take steps to prevent this from happening again in the future. The Government recognizes such acts of foreign governments and their agents as acts of transnational repression on its domestic soil and of its citizens. Similar acts have played out in Canada with the death of Canadian Sikh Hardeep Singh Nijjar of Surrey, British Columbia in September 2023, revealing a concerted effort by foreign governments to repress and kill individuals on foreign soil.

UNITED SIKHS has taken major steps towards addressing public safety concerns and transnational repression issues affecting Sikhs living throughout the United States. In a series of significant meetings, we have supported the codification of the Transnational Repression Policy Act, supporting legislative proposals now introduced in the U.S. Congress as Senate Bill 831 and House Bill 3654.

Our leadership recently met with the Speaker of the New York city Council Adrienne Adams, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New York in separate meetings to discuss these concerns. UNITED SIKHS has been instrumental in launching the Transnational Repression Crime Working Group consisting of several Sikh organizations across the United States formed with a consensus and a mandate to advocate the codification of the Transnational Repression Policy Act, currently on the Congress’ agenda.

Transnational repression is not new, but a phenomenon that has often been downplayed or ignored and warrants a call to action from a global, rights-centered perspective. From 2014 through 2022, the Freedom House has collected information on 854 direct, physical incidents of transnational repression around the world, committed by 38 governments in 91 countries. These numbers are likely only the tip of the iceberg as states also intimidate activists using indirect tactics including surveillance, threats sent over social media or phone, and even threats against family members back in their home countries.

The Annual Threat Assessment of the United States Intelligence Community published on February 5, 2024, by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, warns us of a more aggressive, if not predatory form of Transnational Repression –

Digital Authoritarianism and Transnational Repression

Foreign states are advancing digital and physical means to repress individual critics and diaspora communities abroad, including in the United States, to limit their influence over domestic publics. States are also growing more sophisticated in digital influence operations that try to affect foreign publics’ views, sway voters’ perspectives, shift policies, and create social and political upheaval.

Digital technologies have become a core component of many governments’ repressive toolkits even as they continue to engage in physical acts of transnational repression, including assassinations, abductions, abuse of arrest warrants and familial intimidation. During the next several years, governments are likely to exploit new and more intrusive technologies—including generative AI—for transnational repression. From 2011 to 2023, at least 74 countries contracted with private companies to obtain commercial spyware, which governments are increasingly using to target dissidents and journalists.”

Canada is the latest in the list of countries actively taking initiatives against Transnational Repression. On May 6, 2024, the Canadian government introduced Bill C-70, An Act Respecting Countering Foreign Interference that aims to both deter and counter foreign interference taking note of its evolving threats.

UNITED SIKHS is carefully monitoring the situation and our legal team has recently published a concept paper on Transnational Repression over the years affecting members of the Sikh community and outside. You can read the paper here: Transnational Repression Concept Paper  

In a determined resolve to safeguard human rights and preserve human dignity, UNITED SIKHS through its International Civil & Human Rights Advocacy (ICHRA) program has a dedicated team of legal experts ready to assist community members facing threats of reprisals, intimidation or assaults deduced to constitute acts of transnational repression.

Individuals requiring access to legal support and guidance can reach us through this Webform, or through these other channels:

Phone: +1-855-US-UMEED / +1 (855) 878-6333

Email: (USA) law-usa@unitedsikhs.org / (Canada) law-canada@unitedsikhs.org

You can educate yourself more on this matter by visiting our page on the Transnational Repression Crime Advisory.

As usual, please continue to practice your faith fearlessly! 

Please support to help us continue these efforts!

Dr. Henok Gabisa
Director, UNITED SIKHS International Civil & Human Rights Advocacy