By Trend News Line 2024-05-06 04:15:30.
New York say that in 2020, a Chinese operative enlisted a private investigator to dig up dirt on a former student leader of the Tiananmen Square protests who was running for Congress in 2022. The operative reportedly indicated that violence would be acceptable if necessary. Similarly, an Iranian journalist and activist living in Brooklyn faced a murder-for-hire plot orchestrated by an Eastern European organized crime gang at the direction of the Iranian government.
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These incidents highlight the extreme measures taken by countries like China and Iran to intimidate and silence political opponents and activists living in the United States. The threats faced by these individuals shed light on the far-reaching consequences of geopolitical tensions and the lengths to which authoritarian regimes will go to stifle dissent, even outside their own borders.
The Justice Department has been actively pursuing cases of transnational repression, with dozens of suspects charged in recent years. Senior FBI officials have noted that tactics used by foreign adversaries have become increasingly sophisticated, including the hiring of proxies like private investigators and organized crime leaders. These countries are willing to cross red lines from harassment to violence in their efforts to exert control and suppress dissent abroad.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen described the rise in government-directed harassment as alarming, emphasizing the importance of holding perpetrators accountable and defending American values of free expression and association. He highlighted the broader conflict between authoritarian regimes and democratic countries, noting that transnational repression is a significant manifestation of this global struggle.
China and Iran have been identified as key culprits in these intimidation campaigns, with reports of Chinese operatives engaging in programs like “Operation Fox Hunt” to track down expatriates and pressure them to return to face charges. Iranian operatives have also been implicated in targeting critics and dissidents living abroad, as evidenced by the murder-for-hire plot against the Iranian journalist in Brooklyn.
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The prevalence of these threats has raised concerns among activists and advocates, particularly those who have been targeted by foreign governments. Chinese American pastor Bob Fu shared his experiences of enduring harassment campaigns and threats, indicating that he does not feel safe and is concerned for his well-being. Similarly, former student leader Wu Jianmin described being targeted by protesters outside his home in California, attributing the harassment to individuals with close links to the Chinese government.
The Justice Department’s efforts to address transnational repression have led to numerous prosecutions, including cases involving Chinese operatives using social media to target dissidents and surveilling individuals on behalf of the Chinese government. The department has also thwarted plots to silence dissidents through intimidation and violence, underscoring the gravity of the threats faced by activists and critics living in the United States.
As geopolitical tensions continue to escalate, the issue of transnational repression remains a significant concern for the U.S. government and advocates for human rights. The need to safeguard free expression and protect individuals from foreign interference has become a top priority in the face of increasingly aggressive tactics employed by authoritarian regimes..
– China and Iran dissident hunt in US
– FBI counter threat China Iran dissidents.
