Countries like China and India also deploy diplomatic staff to carry out repression efforts abroad: MIGS report

 Countries like China and India also deploy diplomatic staff to carry out repression efforts abroad: MIGS report

👉Report released by Canada's MIGS highlights violent threats faced by Canadian Sikh activists

New Delhi, February 19 (Manpreet Singh Khalsa):- Canada's Montreal Institute for Global Security has launched a new 71-page report co-authored by Gursky and Lemensch, which takes an in-depth look at international repression in Canada by several different countries. The report highlights the violent threats faced by Iranian dissidents and Sikh nationalist activists in Canada, particularly the alleged involvement of the Indian government in the 2023 murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. It is worth noting that Canadian newspaper Global News revealed that Canadian immigration authorities are investigating hundreds of foreign nationals, primarily of Sikh background, in B.C. alone for their alleged involvement in a wave of extortion crimes led by an Indian gang. The MIGS report also cited Global News reporting on a 2024 warning from Canada and its Five Eyes intelligence partners that China and Russia were targeting civil society groups such as journalists and non-profit activist organizations online. Countries such as China and India also frequently assign diplomatic staff to carry out repression efforts abroad. The report’s authors said that international repression is a widespread phenomenon and “a threat that is growing and becoming more pronounced,” with many countries pursuing it at varying levels. Lemensch said the threat of international repression also has a chilling effect on democracy, with diaspora members increasingly speaking out against abuses at home or entering politics in Canada. He added that they may even feel compelled to abstain from voting in elections. The report cites the recent public inquiry into foreign interference, which called for government action on international repression after hearing from diaspora communities, while the issue has been ongoing well beyond the election. The MIGS report’s recommendations include quickly establishing Canada’s federal Foreign Influence Transparency Registry to better track individuals involved in repression efforts. The registry was created by the government’s 2024 legislation to address foreign interference but has not yet been launched.