India scrutiny fuels US push to criminalise foreign repression
WASHINGTON: A bipartisan group of US senators has introduced legislation aimed at criminalising efforts by foreign governments to intimidate political opponents and activists living in the United States, amid growing concern in Washington over alleged cases...
A bipartisan group of US senators has introduced legislation that would make it a federal crime to intimidate political opponents and activists living in the United States on behalf of foreign governments, as Washington faces fresh scrutiny over allegations of transnational repression involving India.
The Stop Transnational Repression Act of 2026 was introduced by Democratic Senator Adam Schiff and Republican Senator John Curtis. If enacted, it would define transnational repression as a specific federal offence for the first time and give the Justice Department and the FBI broader authority to investigate and prosecute attempts by foreign actors to silence critics on American soil.
Under the proposal, people convicted under the new law could face an additional prison term of up to 10 years and fines of up to $100,000, in addition to any punishment tied to related offences. The bill would also expand the role of the Justice Department’s National Security Division and the Assistant Attorney General for National Security in handling such cases.
The move comes as Congress and US law enforcement agencies pay closer attention to what they describe as a growing pattern of foreign governments trying to reach dissidents and activists abroad. India, a major US strategic partner, has come under congressional scrutiny amid allegations that individuals linked to its government targeted Sikh activists in North America.
In one of the highest-profile cases, the Justice Department in late 2024 unsealed charges against Indian national Nikhil Gupta. US authorities said he tried to arrange the killing of a Sikh-American activist in New York at the direction of Vikash Yadav, whom they identified as an Indian government employee. Yadav was later charged with murder-for-hire, conspiracy and money laundering. India has denied the allegations and said it would conduct an internal inquiry.
Canadian authorities have also handled a separate case involving the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. India has denied involvement in that case as well.
The report is based on a monitored public feed and reflects material published by Dawn. Source attribution: Dawn Home.
Source: Dawn Home - https://www.dawn.com/news/2017401/india-scrutiny-fuels-us-push-to-criminalise-foreign-repression
