A little over two years ago, a man armed with an AK-47 assault rifle waited outside Iranian dissident Masih Alinejad’s home in Brooklyn, New York, eager to kidnap and permanently silence her at the behest of Iran’s leadership. Alinejad expressed her shock at how close the Islamic Republic’s influence was to her, even in Brooklyn. Fortunately, federal prosecutors in Manhattan have now indicted the individuals responsible for the attempted assassination of Alinejad.
This incident is just one example of the growing trend of transnational repression, where authoritarian regimes extend their oppressive tactics beyond their borders to target dissidents, silence critics, and even engage in acts of violence. Despite the freedom that open societies like the United States offer to individuals to speak out against repressive regimes, transnational repression poses a significant threat to this freedom.
According to a report by Freedom House, transnational repression has become a normalized practice for many countries, with over 40 nations carrying out more than a thousand instances of such repression since 2014. In addition to targeting political dissidents, authoritarian regimes are also infiltrating companies to steal foreign secrets and undermining the institutions of free societies.
The United States is particularly vulnerable to these threats, with dictators like China using their businesses as tools for geopolitical espionage and theft of proprietary information. The House Committee on Homeland Security has highlighted over 55 instances of Chinese state-sponsored spying in 20 states, ranging from sharing classified military intelligence to stealing trade secrets.
This aggressive behavior not only harms American businesses but also poses a significant risk to national security. By infiltrating global supply chains and dominating key industries like port crane operations, authoritarian regimes like China are eroding the distinction between economic and national security.
Furthermore, authoritarian influence extends to American universities, where campaigns like Russia’s “Doppelganger” operation aim to sow division and disrupt academic discourse. Students, faculty, and researchers from countries facing repression abroad often find themselves targeted by surveillance, harassment, and attempts to limit their academic freedom.
In response to these threats, the Renew Democracy Initiative (RDI) is organizing the Frontlines of Freedom conference to address transnational repression and authoritarian influence in open societies. By bringing together dissidents, business leaders, academics, and policymakers, the conference aims to explore the extent of the authoritarian threat, identify strategies to defend against it, and promote collaboration among democracies to protect shared values and institutions.
While the challenge posed by authoritarian regimes may seem daunting, democratic nations have the capacity to overcome these obstacles through collective action and solidarity. By recognizing the urgency of the situation and committing to defending democratic values, societies can send a clear message that they will not tolerate foreign interference and attacks on their fundamental freedoms.
