Three witnesses gave compelling evidence to the JCHR Inquiry into Transnational repression – including disturbing evidence about the activities of States such as Eritrea and Russia.
Watch here: https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/aa9215cb-b78e-4e47-a86e-a3676ee5e5ea
The Joint Committee on Human Rights is charged by Parliament with the responsibility to look at policies and legislation which may impact the human rights of British citizens or people resident in the United Kingdom. It considers how Conventions which the UK has ratified have been honoured – everything from the Convention on the Rights of the Child to the Convention on the Crime of Genocide or the Convention on the treatment of Refugees.
Sometimes the JCHR shines a light on specific pieces of new legislation – as we are currently doing with the Mental Health Bill. Other times it carries out thematic longer term Inquiries – as it is currently doing on the failure to bring to justice some of the British genocidaires who were responsible for atrocities against minorities like the Yazidis in Iraq and Syria. It is conducting an Inquiry into modern day slavery and supply chain transparency and another Inquiry into transnational repression – an increasingly prevalent concern as the long arm of dictatorships and totalitarian states extend beyond their borders into our jurisdiction. The JCHR has already received a great deal of evidence, some of it very disturbing, such as the bounty placed on the head of a young woman by the CCP regime in Hong Kong and the testimony of Hossein Abedini, the Iranian pro democracy activist, who survived an assassination attempt.
Today the JCHR continued its Inquiry into transnational repression. Helping it to understand what more democracies like the UK can do to safeguard our citizens and free speech the Committee took evidence from three distinguished panellists:
- Martin Plaut, Journalist and Visiting Senior Research Fellow, Kings College London
- Susan Coughtrie, Director, Foreign Policy Centre
- James Lynch, Co-director, Fair Square
Martin Plaut, Journalist and Visiting Senior Research Fellow, Kings College London
Martin Plaut is a journalist specialising in the Horn of Africa and Southern Africa. He was appointed Africa editor for the BBC World Service News in 2003 and retired from the BBC in 2013. He subsequently joined King’s College as a Visiting Senior Research Fellow.
Martin has advised the FCDO, the US State Department and the European Parliament. He was an Associate Fellow of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, leading their Africa research programme and continues to be an active member of Chatham House and the Royal United Services Institute.
Susan Coughtrie, Director, Foreign Policy Centre – appearing virtually
Susan Coughtrie has been Director of the Foreign Policy Centre since January 2023. Susan was previously Project Director for the Unsafe for Scrutiny project, which explores the risks and threats facing journalists uncovering financial crime and corruption. The findings of this research led Susan to co-found the UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition in January 2021, which she continues to co-chair.
James Lynch, Co-director, FairSquare
James is a founding co-director of FairSquare. FairSquare researches and advocates on political repression, labour migration and accountability in sport. It focuses on Europe, the Middle East and South Asia. James was previously deputy director at Amnesty International and has also worked for the UK Foreign Office.
