Over the last several years, experts, civil society, and governments have embraced a name for when countries reach across borders to silence dissent. It is called transnational repression, and the U.S. government used to be very much against it. Now, as these stories demonstrate, Washington has become an eager collaborator.
A few weeks ago, prominent Russian opposition leaders in exile made a startling plea to the Canadian government: Please accept hundreds of asylum-seekers currently detained in the United States before they are summarily returned to Russia. Apparently, Russian asylum-seekers are being deported en masse to their country of origin, where many are imprisoned upon arrival due to their involvement in opposition and anti-war campaigning. Then last week, reporters learned that hundreds of Iranian nationals already in immigration detention would be deported to Iran. Some were allegedly willing to go back, but others were not—some of the lawyers said their clients had even disappeared .
A few weeks ago, prominent Russian opposition leaders in exile made a startling plea to the Canadian government: Please accept hundreds of asylum-seekers currently detained in the United States before they are summarily returned to Russia.
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