Egyptian, Chinese and Russian dissidents tracked and threatened in Switzerland  

The Place des Nations square opposite the UN headquarters in Geneva often hosts political demos. In this photo, Russians protest against the war in Ukraine, March 2025. Keystone / Martial Trezzini

Repression by autocratic states abroad is also happening in Switzerland, and the human rights hub Geneva is particularly exposed to this threat. Swiss authorities are making timid attempts to address the problem.

“I didn’t expect to experience this in Geneva,” says Basma Mostafa, an Egyptian investigative journalist who is now a refugee in Germany. “They followed me for three days in a row, right into my hotel,” she continues, recalling her last stay in Switzerland last year.

“On the third day, a man approached me. He told me in Arabic that he knew who I was, that he belonged to the Egyptian security forces and that he could arrest me if he wanted to,” adds the young woman, who has for several years been victim of repression in her native country. “That night I couldn’t sleep at all. I was afraid they would come back and kidnap me.”

>> Find out more about the Egyptian investigative journalist Basma Mostafa in our portrait article:

Mostafa does not know exactly who these men were, but she is certain they were Egyptian. “It was horrible,” she says. “Their technique is to sow fear, make you wonder what they could do. They play on your vulnerabilities – in this case the fact that I was all alone in Switzerland, a country I don’t know, and far from my family.”

Repression without borders

What Mostafa describes is an example of what is known as transnational repression. This takes various forms, including threats, intimidation, surveillance, and pressure on families who have remained in the country. But its aim is always to silence critics within the diaspora abroad.

The journalist’s case is far from isolated. “Transnational repression, particularly against human rights defenders, is a growing trend,” confirms Phil Lynch, director of the Geneva-based NGO International Service for Human Rights (ISHR). According to him, it is a “risk that activists must take into account” when travelling to Switzerland.

Geneva – fertile ground for repression

Geneva is particularly fertile ground for such repression. The presence of the UN Human Rights office and the fact that almost all UN member states have diplomatic representation in the city creates an environment conducive to espionage and discreet pressure.

The UN Human Rights Council offers political dissidents and victims of oppression a rare opportunity to confront the authorities in their home countries. Keystone / Martial Trezzini

“It is very hard to estimate the exact extent of this repression in Switzerland, but we can assume that it is significant,” says University of Basel professor Ralph Weber. He is the author of a government-commissioned report on repression suffered by the Tibetan and Uyghur communities in Switzerland, which was published earlier this year. According to him, the main difficulty is that victims are often reluctant to report their cases for fear their families will suffer the consequences.

Phil Lynch says his NGO has documented “a number of cases” linked to countries such as China, Russia and Egypt, including that of Basma Mostafa. But he does not give any specific figures. “These acts range from threats to surveillance, monitoring and intimidation,” he says, adding that they take place on Swiss soil as well as within the UN.

In April, the international investigation “China Targets” revealed how China monitors and intimidatesExternal link its dissidents in Geneva, notably by photographing them during demonstrations or when they visit the Palais des Nations, the European headquarters of the UN.

When contacted, the Swiss justice ministry said it did not have an overview of transnational repression cases on Swiss territory.

A global phenomenon

Since 2014, the American NGO Freedom House has recorded more than 1,200 cases of transnational repression in around 100 countries. Only so-called “physical” incidents are counted, involving 48 states that have resorted to kidnappings, arbitrary detentions, assaults and illegal expulsions. Nineteen countries have also used spyware to track down their opponents. Switzerland is not included in the study.

Among the main perpetrators are China, Turkey, Russia, Egypt, Iran and several central Asian countries.

The report published by the Swiss government this year focuses on Tibetans and Uyghurs facing threats and surveillance from China. It also cites Russia, Iran, Turkey and Eritrea as the main perpetrators of such acts in Switzerland. “This is not a new phenomenon, but current technology makes it easier to track members of the diaspora,” explains Weber.

Growing political awareness

Publication of the government report marked the first official recognition of the problem by Swiss authorities. This was welcomed by NGOs defending victims.

“It’s an issue that the relevant authorities are taking increasingly seriously,” says Phil Lynch of ISHR. He believes that Switzerland and Geneva, as hosts of the international human rights system, have “a responsibility to ensure it is accessible safely” for activists coming to get their voices heard. He notes “a strengthening of law enforcement agencies’ capacity to recognise, report and respond to acts of transnational repression”, but stresses that more could be done.

Selina Morell, head of the China programme at Bern-based NGO Voices, agrees. She believes Switzerland should establish a clear definition of transnational repression and develop a national strategy to respond to it. This, she adds, would send a signal that it is not just isolated cases but systematic harassment that also affects ordinary people.

>> Find out more about how China is intimidating Tibetans and Uyghurs in Switzerland:

Swiss response still timid

Switzerland remains cautious in its response. While the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom have adopted specific legislation to combat the phenomenon, the Swiss government report mentions several avenues to explore, including bilateral dialogue, awareness-raising, exchanges with diaspora and the creation of an advisory service. 

The justice ministry states that “work on national measures […] is in preparation and should begin in the first half of 2026”. It adds that the foreign ministry has raised its concerns regarding China in bilateral talks with Beijing.

“The government can no longer turn a blind eye. It is now aware of the scale of the phenomenon. It is time to act,” argues Morell. She calls for the creation of a body to which victims can report abuses and for Switzerland to speak out publicly when it is informed of such cases. For the most serious cases, sanctions should be considered, she adds.

Publication of the government report was delayed, officially due to a change in priorities after the invasion of Ukraine. But some critics suspect that the main reason was a desire not to upset China, Switzerland’s main trading partner in Asia, while negotiations on updating the free trade agreement are ongoing.

Conflicting interests

“It’s important to denounce acts of transnational repression, but it would be naive to think that alone will be enough to discourage the country responsible. That country will simply find another way to exert pressure,” says Weber. He believes that despite growing awareness, Switzerland is guided by pragmatism. “There are political considerations and pressures, particularly economic ones,” he says. “But if we risk violating our own constitution through compromise, then it puts the rule of law in question.”

As the host country of the UN, Switzerland is in a particularly delicate position. It must both make International Geneva attractive for member states and ensure they cannot engage in abuses with impunity. For many victims of repression, the UN headquarters in Geneva is often a last resort.

Edited by Imogen Foulkes and Samuel Jaberg/sb