Date: Thursday 12 November 2026, 14:00-17:00
Welcome Remarks: Christina Meinecke, Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to the European Union
Convened by: ECNL with Permanent Representation of Germany to the European Union and OHCHR ROEU

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Good afternoon,

It is a pleasure to open today's meeting which brings together such a diverse group of colleagues and partners to examine an increasingly important aspect of transnational repression - the targeting of individuals and organisations through the misuse of financial and anti-money laundering mechanisms. I am particularly pleased that OHCHR is co-hosting this meeting with the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL) and the Permanent Representation of Germany to the EU. Thank you also for hosting us, Ambassador Hässler.

Transnational repression is an evolving phenomenon, through which States seek to silence, intimidate and punish dissent, criticism and human rights advocacy beyond their own territories.

Just this Monday, we held another discussion, also in partnership with the Permanent Representation of Germany and civil society colleagues, focusing on the misuse of INTERPOL mechanisms for transnational repression, which some of you may also have attended.

Transnational repression is part of our broader efforts to strengthen protection of civic space and human rights defenders especially through the HRDs Protection Community of Practice for Europe. The Community of Practice provides spaces for regular engagement and collaboration among protection actors to strengthen synergies, develop shared strategies and initiatives, and foster more coordinated responses to the challenges faced by human rights defenders across the region.

And while physical, legal and digital manifestations of TNR have received growing attention, its financial dimension deserve greater scrutiny, which is why today's discussions will explore how the misuse of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing frameworks can have serious consequences for human rights and civic space. These include the freezing of assets, restrictions on access to banking services and the financial exclusion of human rights defenders, dissidents and civil society organizations. These practices can undermine not only individual rights and livelihoods, but also the ability of civil society to operate freely and independently. And they have also been highlighted in OHCHR's thematic briefer on transnational repression, as well as in the work of international human rights mechanisms, including the UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism, whose mandate is represented here today.

Importantly, addressing these concerns is not about weakening legitimate efforts to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. It is about ensuring that these frameworks are not instrumentalized to undermine human rights, and that effective safeguards, oversight and accountability are in place to prevent abuse.

This is precisely what we would like to achieve with today’s discussions.

Building on the findings and recommendations included in this timely report by the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL), we hope to identify concrete opportunities for action across different levels and among the various actors involved – including public authorities, financial intelligence units, international organizations, financial institutions and civil society.

The diversity of participants today is particularly valuable in bringing together perspectives from across the institutional, law enforcement and financial sectors, including representatives of INTERPOL and the banking sector, alongside civli society and human rights actors.

Thank you all for joining us, and I look forward to a fruitful and constructive discussion.