Natalia Arno, a Russian dissident invited to speak by UN Watch, told the UN Human Rights Council how Russia’s repression follows dissidents beyond its borders.
After fleeing Russia in 2012 following threats of 20 years in prison for her democracy work, Arno faced surveillance, intimidation and cyberattacks in exile. Three years ago, she was poisoned in Europe.
“Dictatorships do not need to silence everyone. They only need to make everyone wonder: Am I next?”
Arno called on democracies to confront transnational repression and ensure that exile means safety.
