London: A new report released by the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) of the UK Parliament on July 30, 2025, has warned of a rise in transnational repression (TNR) on British soil, with India named among 12 countries allegedly engaged in such practices.
Read the full report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR)
The Committee report warns that foreign governments are becoming “increasingly bold” in attempts to silence and intimidate individuals and communities in the UK, and calls for stronger action to support victims. “The UK should be a place of sanctuary and safety,” said Lord David Alton, Chair of the Joint Committee, “however we are concerned that there is a growth of foreign repression on UK soil that is going unchecked. This risks undermining the UK’s ability to protect the human rights of its citizens and those who have sought safety within its borders.”
The report identifies Bahrain, China, Egypt, Eritrea, India, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates as countries alleged to have conducted acts of transnational repression on UK soil. It includes recommendations such as police training, a dedicated reporting hotline, measures to prevent the misuse of INTERPOL red notices, and addressing the use of SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) to silence critics.
Sikh Federation UK Responds
Responding to the report, the Sikh Federation UK expressed disappointment over how the issue of Indian state actions targeting Sikh activists has been handled.
“Around 20% of the published submissions mention the involvement of the Indian government in targeting Sikh activists in the UK,” said Dabinderjit Singh OBE, Lead Executive for Political Engagement at the Sikh Federation (UK).
According to Dabinderjit Singh, “At least one anonymous submission on Sikhs, including Sikh MPs being targeted was initially published and subsequently removed due to concerns about the person being identified and potential reprisals.” He further stated, “The Committee spoke privately with representatives of the Sikh Federation (UK) on 21 May.”
“We are extremely disappointed the report does not accurately reflect the evidence submitted and published about the threat the Indian government poses Sikh activists,” said Dabinderjit Singh. “The report has downplayed the role of the Indian government and failed to mention Sikh activists, including Sikh MPs being targeted.”
Dabinderjit Singh added, “We suspect this reflects pressure from the UK Government as it does not want to upset India in the same way as Canada.”
He noted, “We have been given assurances by the Committee leading up to publication of today’s report that relevant Ministers will look into the detailed evidence we submitted. However, this falls short of what we expected and is an extension of UK Government policy since 1947 to give into India’s transnational repression and resort to private diplomacy when it comes to targeting Sikh activists in the UK.”
He also revealed, “We will next week reveal a serious data breach by the committee that has compromised the safety and security of Sikh activists as our confidential information has been shared with the Indian government. The Prime Minister, his chief of staff, security minister and others have been made aware of this unacceptable data breach caused by human error, but we await to see what actions will be taken.”
Media Reports Reflect Inclusion of India
Sky News reported that “China, Iran and Russia were the most flagrant perpetrators of TNR, but they also heard evidence from people being targeted by Bahrain, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.”
Forbes similarly noted that “The Committee received credible evidence that a number of states have engaged in acts of transnational repression on U.K. soil,” and listed India among those countries. It stated, “These actions have a serious impact on those targeted, instilling fear, and limiting their freedom of expression and movement.”
The JCHR report’s recommendations include pressing INTERPOL to reform red notice procedures and considering mechanisms to alert individuals where there is strong evidence of politically motivated notices.
While the JCHR report calls for a “two-pronged approach” – supporting at-risk communities and prioritising TNR in foreign relations – concerns persist, particularly from Sikh civil society, that the UK Government’s reluctance to name or act against India may further embolden repressive tactics.
