Graz Law Working Paper Series’ Post

"Transnational Repression: The Cooperation between State Intelligence Agencies and Criminal Structures" by Stephan Blancke (Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies) examines how authoritarian regimes increasingly leverage criminal networks and exile communities to carry out repression abroad. The paper highlights the growing use of criminal tactics as a tool of offensive foreign policy, posing significant challenges for Western security and law enforcement agencies. It calls for a coordinated response to address the evolving threat of transnational repression, emphasizing the need for enhanced intelligence and legal strategies. This analysis provides critical insights into the intersection of organized crime, foreign policy, and security, with implications for policymakers and security practitioners worldwide. Read: http://spkl.io/6046Armtj #TransnationalRepression #SecurityStudies #Intelligence #OrganizedCrime #ForeignPolicy #Research

🇹🇷#Turkey among top violators of press freedom in #EU candidate countries: report According to the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) report, 64 violations were recorded in the first half of 2025. These include physical attacks, arbitrary detentions, prosecutions of journalists, and acts of censorship. At least 157 journalists and media outlets were affected by these incidents. 17 journalists remain behind bars, and critical voices continue to be silenced. Pressure on the media through courts, police, and security forces has become systematic; arrests, detentions, and criminal penalties are persistently used as tools to suppress dissent. Following recent political developments in Istanbul, these measures increasingly threaten the safety of journalists and obstruct the public’s right to access accurate information. https://lnkd.in/eQiaGmiY

📍 Eurojust President Michael Schmid attended the Justice and Home Affairs Council Meeting in Luxembourg to brief ministers on important developments. Among the key topics: ⚖️ The future of Eurojust, which presents an opportunity to shape a stronger, smarter, and even more impactful Agency, capable of meeting tomorrow’s challenges. 🇺🇦 Efforts to enhance justice for Ukraine include connecting the ICPA with the future Special Tribunal and enforcing sanctions to halt illegal exports to Russia. 💡 Harmonising EU rules for lawful data access for law enforcement while safeguarding rights is a priority, along with exploring ways to improve cooperation with service providers.

📖 A new Center for European Policy Analysis piece by Katia Glod looks at Lukashenko’s “prisoner diplomacy” and Belarus’s deepening role as a rear base for Russia. Two points stand out to us: 1️⃣ Easing sanctions on Belarus often ends up helping Russia, given how closely their economies are tied. 2️⃣ The forced exile of political prisoners is draining Belarusian society of its civic backbone. We at GeopoLytics follow these dynamics closely to provide clear-eyed analysis of how Belarus fits into the shifting security landscape of Eastern Europe. #Belarus #Russia #UkraineWar #EasternEurope #Sanctions #PrisonerDiplomacy #Geopolitics #SecurityRisk #Minsk #Lukashenko

Global China and the Solomon Islands: Bringing Security to a Commonwealth Nation the Chinese Way 09/22/2025 https://lnkd.in/eYBFvVE7 China has implemented an unprecedented overseas surveillance program in the Solomon Islands, where Chinese police are collecting fingerprints and biometric data from citizens under the "Fengqiao Experience" - a community policing model based on Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution-era mass surveillance system. The program, which began in Fighter One township and has expanded to 16 villages across Malaita province, represents the first known export of China's domestic surveillance apparatus to a foreign nation and has drawn criticism from opposition politicians who view it as an illegal infringement on constitutional rights.

🇪🇺 Council of Europe justice ministers strengthen cross-border #cooperation and #mutual #assistance. Through this new protocol, known as the #Valletta #Protocol, the Council of Europe looks to plug the legal and procedural gaps in the earlier convention of 1959, while adapting cooperation mechanisms to meet the evolving challenges of #justice and #security.

Human smuggling isn’t just a border problem - it’s a $13B global industry. In Guatemala, families pay up to $20K to coyotes for the journey north, often falling into debt or exploitation. Dexis is helping change this. By strengthening Guatemala’s law enforcement with digital tools, real-time migration systems, and intelligence-led policing, we’re disrupting transnational networks before they reach the U.S. The results speak for themselves: six coyotes arrested and $3M in illicit profits seized. Learn more 👇 https://lnkd.in/gAGaAmDX

🚨 Big News! The Georgian Police Fund (GPF) has signed a major 5-year cooperation agreement with the International Police Academy (UNIPOL)! 🌍🤝 Together, we're building a safer, smarter world through global training, research, and humanitarian action. 🔗 Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/eGcCFc3Z #GPF #UNIPOL #GlobalSecurity #LawEnforcement #InternationalCooperation #PoliceTraining #PublicSafety

🚨 Big News! The Georgian Police Fund (GPF) has signed a major 5-year cooperation agreement with the International Police Academy (UNIPOL)! 🌍🤝 Together, we're building a safer, smarter world through global training, research, and humanitarian action. 🔗 Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/eH_dmZCt #GPF #UNIPOL #GlobalSecurity #LawEnforcement #InternationalCooperation #PoliceTraining #PublicSafety

🚨 Big News! The Georgian Police Fund (GPF) has signed a major 5-year cooperation agreement with the International Police Academy (UNIPOL)! 🌍🤝 Together, we're building a safer, smarter world through global training, research, and humanitarian action. 🔗 Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/eH_dmZCt #GPF #UNIPOL #GlobalSecurity #LawEnforcement #InternationalCooperation #PoliceTraining #PublicSafety