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A joint report by the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders -a partnership between the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)-, the Independent Medico-legal Unit (IMLU) and SOS-Torture Burundi documents cross-border surveillance, intimidation and pressure against defenders seeking safety in the region.
Brussels, Geneva, Paris, 16 October 2026. Fleeing persecution does not always mean reaching safety. A new report, Out of Reach, Not Out of Risk: Transnational Repression of Human Rights Defenders in East Africa, reveals how human rights defenders (HRDs) continue to face threats and intimidation after leaving their home countries to seek refuge elsewhere in the region.
Repression that crosses borders
Although transnational repression has long existed in Africa, it is intensifying rapidly across the continent, reaching a new peak in East Africa, where it remains poorly documented. The research highlights the interconnected nature of the risks faced by human rights defenders in East Africa, where political and security relationships, information-sharing networks and the movement of defenders between countries can allow threats to persist across borders.
“The most alarming cases show how quickly transnational repression can move from surveillance and threats to abduction, torture or other ill-treatment and attempted forcible return. States must investigate these cases, protect defenders at risk and ensure that no cooperation between governments is used to place someone at risk of torture”, said OMCT Secretary General Stéphanie David.
The report documents a range of tactics used to pressure and silence defenders beyond their countries of origin. Among the detailed threat narratives, 46% of the interviewed HRDs reported being targeted in exile, 65% involved surveillance or approaches, 30% digital targeting, 10% legal or migration-related pressure, and 10% direct physical interference. The gravest cases involved abduction, torture or other ill-treatment, enforced disappearance, and attempted unlawful removal, with host countries also playing a critical role. The report shows coordinated regional attacks among states, especially around electoral and political contests, and highlights the need to strengthen protection while carefully examining responsibility for individual incidents.
“Transnational repression in East Africa is no longer a series of isolated incidents. It is becoming increasingly regional and coordinated, with political and security cooperation allowing repression to travel across borders and follow human rights defenders into exile”, added FIDH Vice-President Anna Henga.
States must strengthen protection and accountability
The report calls on states to ensure that human rights defenders can access effective protection wherever they seek refuge. It urges authorities to investigate suspected cases of transnational repression, prevent the misuse of immigration procedures and law-enforcement cooperation, and ensure that cross-border mechanisms are not used to target people for their legitimate human rights work. It also stresses the importance of early-warning mechanisms, access to remedies for victims and accountability for those responsible.
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders is a partnership between FIDH and OMCT. It works to protect human rights defenders facing risks and reprisals worldwide. OMCT and FIDH are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu, the European Union Human Rights Defenders Mechanism implemented by international civil society.
