By The Wire Staff
New Delhi: A new report from the UK Parliament has named India among nations accused of “transnational repression” (TNR) on British soil and of the “systematic misuse” of international police systems like Interpol.
Published on July 30, 2025, the report from the influential Joint Committee on Human Rights, titled “Transnational repression in the UK,” investigates how foreign states increasingly target political opponents, activists, and journalists who have sought refuge in the UK. The committee finds this creates a “chilling effect” on diaspora communities.
The report’s primary allegation against India appears in a section on country-specific evidence, where it states: “Multiple evidence submissions accused Bahrain, China, Egypt, Eritrea, India, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates of perpetrating TNR in the UK.”
While the report reserves its most detailed criticism for China, Russia, and Iran – calling them the “three most flagrant TNR perpetrators” – it includes India based on formal evidence. The document’s appendices show the allegations came from several UK-based Sikh advocacy groups that provided written evidence, including the Sikh Federation (UK), Sikhs for Justice, and others.
Beyond the general charge, the report makes a specific allegation about the abuse of police systems. A footnote on Interpol states the committee “also heard allegations of misuse by… India,” among other countries. The original text suggests this means India was accused of using INTERPOL’s Red Notice system for political reasons.
The report is highly critical of the UK government’s response to this growing threat, calling it inconsistent and lacking a clear strategy. The committee urged the government to:
- Formally define transnational repression to improve data collection and police response.
- Establish a dedicated, multilingual national hotline for victims to safely report threats.
- Significantly improve police training to help officers handle foreign state interference.
- Use its diplomatic influence to push for INTERPOL reforms that prevent abuse.
The Indian government has not yet issued a formal response to the report’s findings.
This story was originally published in thewire.in.
