Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the international community on the recognition of transnational repression as a distinct human rights threat.

The UK takes the protection of individuals' rights, freedoms, and safety in the UK very seriously. Attempts by foreign States to coerce, intimidate, harass, or harm individuals overseas, or undermine democracy and the rule of law, are unacceptable. We regularly assess potential threats to the UK and use a range of measures, including operational, policy, and legal tools, to counter them, in co-ordination with international partners.

The UK is working closely with international partners to tackle transnational repression. We also work closely with Canada as part of their G7 Presidency in 2025 to better align international efforts to counter this activity and publicly call out all forms of transnational repression.

The Defending Democracy Taskforce is reviewing the UK's response to transnational repression, to develop our understanding of the issue and ensure a strong, system-wide, response. This review will inform our approach to internationalising this issue.