Hong Kong Watch hosts panel discussion on transnational repression against journalists

On 15 May, Hong Kong Watch hosted a panel discussion on transnational repression (TNR) against journalists in the House of Lords, in collaboration with International Human Rights Advisors (IHR Advisors) and the International Bar Association Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI).

The packed-out event, which had around 50 human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists and policymakers in attendance, saw contributions from Ben Keith of IHR Advisors, Turkish journalist and academic Kerim Balci, exiled Chinese dissident and journalist Lyndon Li, and foreign correspondent at The Times of London, Catherine Philp. The event was hosted by Lord Murray of Blidworth, a member of the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR), which is currently conducting an inquiry into transnational repression.

Ben Keith outlined his experience of how transnational repression interacts with the frameworks of international law, including the misuse of the INTERPOL Red Notice system, and noted examples of transnational repression against journalists from his own casework, including in Russia, Georgia, and Ukraine.

Kerim Balci described his personal experience of transnational repression against journalists by the Turkish government, which since 2016 has made heavy use of international legal frameworks, including extradition requests, manipulation of INTERPOL’s Stolen and Lost Travel Documents (SLTD) database, and misuse international Financial Intelligence Units, to persecute journalists overseas.

Lyndon Li talked about his experience as a former Voice of America reporter and an exiled Chinese dissident, including his experience of espionage and surveillance by People’s Republic of China (PRC) agents on UK university campuses, and in the course of his work as a journalist.

Catherine Philp explained how London has become a hotspot for repressive action against journalists, and the limitations of the UK government’s response to acts of transnational repression. She criticised the UK government’s unwillingness to act to protect detained journalists overseas, such as by refusing to rule out publicly that detained journalists are involved in espionage, and neglecting to impose sanctions on individuals involved in cases of transnational repression against journalists.

This event demonstrated the global reach of transnational repression, and the necessity of creating links between activists, academics and journalists working in different regions to combat the joint threat posed by authoritarian states across the globe. We would like to extend our thanks to Lord Murray for hosting, and to our speakers for taking the time to share their expertise and experience of this pressing human rights issue.

香港監察舉辦跨國鎮壓記者問題研討會 強調各界共同對抗威權重要性

5月15日，香港監察聯同國際人權顧問（IHR Advisors）和國際律師協會人權研究所（IBAHRI），在英國上議院舉辦跨國鎮壓記者問題研討會。

現場座無虛席，約有50位人權捍衛者、律師、記者和政策制訂者出席，聆聽下列講者分享：國際人權顧問代表Ben Keith、土耳其記者兼學者Kerim Balci、中國流亡異見人士兼記者Lyndon Li和《泰晤士報》外國記者Catherine Philp。活動由英國國會人權聯合委員會委員梅利勳爵（Lord Murray of Blidworth）主持，委員會目前正就跨國鎮壓展開調查。

Ben Keith分享他在跨國鎮壓如何與國際法框架互相作用上的經驗，包括濫用國際刑警「紅色通緝令」（Red Notice）機制，並從自己的個案工作中援引跨國鎮壓記者的案例，涉及地區包括俄羅斯、格魯吉亞和烏克蘭。

Kerim Balci講述土耳其政府跨國鎮壓記者的親身經歷。自2016年起，土耳其政府大量利用國際法律框架迫害海外記者，包括引渡要求、操縱國際刑警的失竊及遺失旅行證件（SLTD）資料庫，以及濫用國際金融情報中心（Financial Intelligence Units）。

Lyndon Li分享他身為前《美國之音》記者兼中國流亡異見人士的經歷，包括他在英國大學校園和記者生涯期間受到中國特工刺探和監視的經歷。

Catherine Philp講解倫敦如何變成針對記者鎮壓行動的熱點，以及英國政府回應跨國鎮壓行為的局限。她批評英國政府不願意採取行動保護海外被拘留的記者，例如拒絕公開排除被拘留記者參與間諜活動的可能性，以及沒對參與跨國鎮壓記者事件的人士施行制裁。

這場研討會顯示跨國鎮壓問題延伸至全球，駐不同地區的活動人士、學者和記者有必要建立關係，一起對抗全球威權國家構成的共同威脅。香港監察謹感謝梅利勳爵主持活動，同時感謝講者抽空分享他們對這迫切人權問題的專業知識和經驗。