A new 2025 report by Freedom House has, for the first time, listed Tanzania and Kenya among countries accused of targeting their citizens beyond national borders.
The report details a growing pattern where governments are alleged to track, detain, or forcibly return critics who have fled abroad, acts described as transnational repression.
According to the findings, East Africa is emerging as one of the regions where such actions are increasingly reported. The study links at least 54 countries worldwide to these practices since 2014, representing more than a quarter of all nations.
While Tanzania and Kenya appear on the list for the first time, the report places China at the top globally, followed by Vietnam and Russia.
Other countries mentioned include Afghanistan and Zimbabwe, as part of what the report describes as a widening global network of governments working across borders to suppress dissent.
The report points to cooperation between states, use of surveillance, and pressure on foreign governments as some of the tools allegedly used to pursue individuals living in exile.
Read the full Freedom House report
