Call for UK action as foreign states silence dissidents

FOREIGN states are becoming bolder in their attempts to silence dissidents in the UK and the Government must take stronger action, parliamentarians have warned.

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In a report published today, the Joint Committee on Human Rights said transnational repression had increased in recent years, with foreign states using online harassment, lawsuits and physical violence to intimidate people in the UK.

MI5 investigations into threats from other states have increased 48% since 2022, the report said, while committee chairman Lord David Alton warned the rise was “going unchecked”.

He said: “This risks undermining the UK's ability to protect the human rights of its citizens and those who have sought safety within its borders.