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Siena Anstis

@sanstis.bsky.social
1.2K followers 553 following 83 posts

lawyer | senior legal advisor @ The Citizen Lab | PhD Fellow in Law @ University of Oslo | parent | currently: transnational repression, digital surveillance & international human rights law | EU-based (Geneva, Oslo) | sienaanstis.com

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Reposted by Siena Anstis
Just Security @justsecurity.org · 12/10/2026
Generative AI is being incorporated into the machinery of transnational repression. @citizenlab.ca's @katepundyk.bsky.social, @sanstis.bsky.social and @mmichae1sen.bsky.social on how frontier AI companies can curb the misuse of their technology by authoritarian governments:
justsecurity.org
How Generative AI is Scaling Transnational Repression
Frontier AI companies should take action to help curb the misuse of American technology by repressive governments reaching across borders.
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Reposted by Siena Anstis
Marcus Michaelsen @mmichae1sen.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Anthropic's recent threat report provided unusually detailed insights into how state actors benefit from AI models to scale up their repressive repertoire. Together w/ @katepundyk.bsky.social & @sanstis.bsky.social we show how these tools can be used to supercharge digital transnational repression.
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Reposted by Siena Anstis
Kate Pundyk @katepundyk.bsky.social · 18h
Just published in @justsecurity.org with @sanstis.bsky.social & @mmichae1sen.bsky.social: Generative AI is now part of the machinery of transnational repression, helping regimes find, profile, and target diaspora activists across borders. We analysed @anthropic.com's September Threat Report: 🧵
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Reposted by Siena Anstis
Lawfare @lawfaremedia.org · 28/08/2026
@sanstis.bsky.social, @natynettle.bsky.social, and @katepundyk.bsky.social break down the U.K. Supreme Court decision confirming that Bahrain is not immune from litigation over the hacking of Bahraini dissidents & what it means for future suits challenging foreign states use of spyware surveillance.
lawfaremedia.org
U.K. Supreme Court Opens Door for Spyware Victims to Sue Foreign States
The Kingdom of Bahrain cannot claim immunity from a suit by exiled dissidents over harm caused by spyware surveillance on U.K. soil.
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
New article out in @lawfaremedia.org where we discuss the UK Supreme Court's decision on the ability of spyware victims to sue states in cases of transnational hacking. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/u.k....
lawfaremedia.org
U.K. Supreme Court Opens Door for Spyware Victims to Sue Foreign States
The Kingdom of Bahrain cannot claim immunity from a suit by exiled dissidents over harm caused by spyware surveillance on U.K. soil.
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Reposted by Siena Anstis
The Citizen Lab @citizenlab.ca · 05/08/2026
Citizen Lab researchers @sanstis.bsky.social, @mmichae1sen.bsky.social, and @katepundyk.bsky.social write about how restrictive immigration policies enable transnational repression for @fpcthinktank.bsky.social. Read: fpc.org.uk/immigration-...
fpc.org.uk
Long Read | Immigration Policy: The Backdoor to Transnational Repression - The Foreign Policy Centre
Democratic governments are stepping up efforts to combat transnational repression, but restrictive immigration policies may inadvertently help authoritarian regimes target dissidents.
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Reposted by Siena Anstis
Marcus Michaelsen @mmichae1sen.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Happy to share our article w/ @sanstis.bsky.social in which we explore gaps in justice and accountability for targets of transnational repression.
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Reposted by Siena Anstis
Journal of Democracy @jodemocracy.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
"Without legal or political changes, perpetrators of transnational repression will continue to be served by accountability vacuums." How to Combat Transnational Repression by @sanstis.bsky.social @mmichae1sen.bsky.social @citizenlab.ca muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
📖 New article out in the @jodemocracy.bsky.social on the challenges in legal accountability for acts of transnational repression. www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/how...
journalofdemocracy.org
How to Combat Transnational Repression | Journal of Democracy
Authoritarians actively threaten, intimidate, and murder exiles and opponents wherever they find them. While justice for victims is hard won, it is possible. Here is how democracies can push back.
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Reposted by Siena Anstis
Journal of Democracy @jodemocracy.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Authoritarians actively threaten, intimidate, and murder exiles and opponents wherever they find them. While justice for victims is hard won, it is possible. Here is how democracies can push back. @sanstis.bsky.social @mmichae1sen.bsky.social @citizenlab.ca muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
www.ohchr.org/en/press-rel...
ohchr.org
Digital surveillance related chilling effects must be addressed before long-term societal damage becomes irreversible: UN expert
GENEVA – The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Gina Romero, has issued a stark warning regarding the harmful impact of widespread intrusive, high-...
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
theguardian.com/global-devel...
theguardian.com
‘A hunting ground for foreign regimes’: why violent attacks on dissidents are on the rise in Britain
Iran and China among those accused of targeting critics living in the UK, as arson attack on prime minister Keir Starmer’s properties linked to Russia
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
therecord.media
Spyware maker is hijacking diplomatic efforts to limit commercial hacking, civil society warns
Spyware maker NSO Group trumpeted the company’s participation in the Pall Mall Process, which drew criticism from civil society leaders and government officials who called out human rights abuses.
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
I have written a little bit more about the broader framework around digital transnational repression (or the regulation of dissident cyber espionage, more precisely) here & limitations faced by victims: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
cambridge.org
REGULATING TRANSNATIONAL DISSIDENT CYBER ESPIONAGE | International & Comparative Law Quarterly | Cambridge Core
REGULATING TRANSNATIONAL DISSIDENT CYBER ESPIONAGE - Volume 73 Issue 1
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
Second, we see the court accepting in no uncertain terms the expert statements offered by my colleague @billmarczak.org that Al-Masarir's phones were hacked with Pegasus spyware. The court combines this with other evidence (e.g., KSA's history of using spyware) to conclude the hacking occurred.
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
It's a victory for several reasons. Two big ones. First, the court actually considered the substance of the claims (versus a default judgment). We see the court connecting cross-border hacking to actual, substantive wrongs caused to Al-Masarir.
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
Even if Al-Masarir faces challenges in recovering the damages awarded, this decision is a big step in the right direction. State immunity & evidentiary thresholds are raised as barriers insulating state authorities from liability for acts of (digital) transnational repression. Both failed here.
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
This is the (I believe first) significant legal victory for a target of (digital) transnational repression. Al-Masarir argued that his iPhones were hacked by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and that he was assaulted in London by KSA agents. The court found in favor of Al-Masarir on both points.
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
Important development in the Al-Masarir case in the UK: www.reuters.com/world/uk/sau...
reuters.com
Saudi dissident awarded $4.1 million by UK court for hacking, assault 'by Saudi Arabia'
A Saudi human rights activist who accuses Saudi Arabia of targeting him with spyware and directing his assault on the streets of London was awarded just over 3 million pounds ($4.1 million) in damages...
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
Are you a recent law graduate with an interest in law, tech, human rights, doing good...and not spending time counting those billable hours? The Citizen Lab is hiring a (law-related) research officer. 🤩
citizenlab.ca
Job Opportunity: Citizen Lab Research Officer in the Area of Spyware and Digital Targeted Threats  - The Citizen Lab
About us:
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
New article out with Jillian Sprenger in the International Journal of Human Rights on civil society's efforts to seek a remedy in the context of states' abuse of mercenary spyware: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.....
tandfonline.com
Civil society and access to justice: challenges of seeking remedy in the global fight against spyware
States use mercenary spyware technology, such as NSO Group’s Pegasus, Paragon’s Graphite, and Cytrox’s Predator, to remotely and clandestinely infect the smartphones of members of civil society and...
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Reposted by Siena Anstis
Fabio Chiusi @fabiochiusi.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
Inside the Deportation Machine www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
nytimes.com
The Complex Deportation Network Behind Trump’s Immigration Crackdown
An analysis of data on every ICE arrest, detention stay and deportation reveals the complexity and reach of President Trump’s immigration crackdown.
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
More transparency is a critical component that in theory should be relatively easy to implement. Along with @penney.bsky.social & Niamh Leonard, we argued that such transparency is critical to the system's functioning: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti....
sciencedirect.com
Moving from secrecy to transparency in the offensive cyber capabilities sector: The case of dual-use technologies exports
Transparency is central to the prevention of human rights abuses. Over the past few decades, a belief in transparency has permeated multiple industrie…
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
Great report from @cdt.org on the failures of export control around spyware in the EU.
cdt.org
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
nymag.com
Watched, Tracked, and Targeted in Gaza
Life under Israel’s all-encompassing surveillance regime.
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Reposted by Siena Anstis
Ron Deibert @rondeibert.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
It is good to see enforcement of the EU Digital Services Act against X. We need more principled democratic governance of tech platforms, and penalties for non-compliance 1) Elon Musk’s X Hit With $140 Million Fine in Europe www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/t...
nytimes.com
Elon Musk’s X Hit With $140 Million Fine in Europe
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The Citizen Lab @citizenlab.ca · 19/11/2025
Join us on Nov 26 to explore how gender, technology, and authoritarianism intersect to shape women’s participation in peace and security. Get info & register: citizenlab.ca/2025/11/webi... @amnesty.org @sheassociates.bsky.social @mmichae1sen.bsky.social @noura.bsky.social @sanstis.bsky.social
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
Yesterday, MEPs voted in favor of the European Parliament's first report dedicated to the transnational repression of human rights, urging the EU to take action to protect against this activity. www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pres...
europarl.europa.eu
MEPs warn of increasing repression of human rights activists across borders | News | European Parliament
On Thursday, Parliament urged the EU to tackle actions by authoritarian regimes to coerce, control or silence political opponents and other critical voices abroad.
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 09/10/2025
Great essay by @nateschenkkan.bsky.social on the driving forces behind the "golden age" of transnational repression.
muse.jhu.edu
Project MUSE - The Golden Age of Transnational Repression
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 26/09/2025
theguardian.com
Microsoft blocks Israel’s use of its technology in mass surveillance of Palestinians
Exclusive: Tech firm ends military unit’s access to AI and data services after Guardian reveals secret spy project
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
theintercept.com
Google Secretly Handed ICE Data About Pro-Palestine Student Activist
Google handed over Gmail account information to ICE before notifying the student or giving him an opportunity to challenge the subpoena.
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
A few (early) thoughts on digital transnational repression and extraterritorial human rights obligations over at @bindinghook.bsky.social. Thanks for the opportunity to share my research (again!).
bindinghook.com
Digital transnational repression and the limits of international human rights law in a ‘post-territorial’ world
Traditional models of jurisdiction fail dissidents in an ever more connected world
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Reposted by Siena Anstis
Ron Deibert @rondeibert.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
Spyware industry pockets EU subsidies while snooping on its citizens www.ftm.eu/articles/spy... Great work by @vaspanagiotopoulos.com showing how EU taxpayer money funds a surveillance industry that sells to authoritarian regimes abroad.
ftm.eu
Spyware industry pockets EU subsidies while snooping on its citizens
The widespread use of commercial spyware for unlawful surveillance across Europe has raised alarm – but the funding of such tools has largely gone under the radar. Follow the Money can reveal how mill...
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 11/09/2025
apnews.com
Silicon Valley enabled brutal mass detention and surveillance in China, internal documents show
U.S. technology firms such as IBM, Dell and Cisco largely designed and built China’s surveillance state, an AP investigation finds. The tech companies deny wrongdoing.
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 11/09/2025
cpj.org
Spyware installed on Kenyan filmmakers' phones in police custody - Committee to Protect Journalists
New York, September 10, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists is gravely alarmed by the installation of spyware on two Kenyan filmmakers’ phones while the devices were in police custody, and calls...
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Reposted by Siena Anstis
Ron Deibert @rondeibert.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
"A tsunami of AI-enabled disinformation is already upon us, polluting the public sphere and seeping back into the language models that AI systems feed upon. What to do?" My latest oped in @theglobeandmail.com 👇 www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: Canada’s new Minister of AI must not be naive to its harms
AI is not just being deployed to expand human understanding, but to systematically subvert it as well
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Reposted by Siena Anstis
AJIL and AJIL Unbound @ajil.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
The final part of our AJIL Unbound series on reparations is now available online. Read "What Can International Law Repair?" now! www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 20/08/2025
www.justsecurity.org/118409/disco...
justsecurity.org
Discovery in U.S. Spyware Litigation: A Double-Edged Sword?
Despite its inherent risks, civil society and policymakers can learn how to benefit from the discovery process in spyware cases.
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 16/08/2025
New positive development in the AlHathloul v. Dark Matter and others case with the court allowing the case to proceed despite lack of jurisdiction arguments made by the defendants: www.eff.org/document/alh...
eff.org
AlHathloul v. DarkMatter - Opinion and Order on Motion to Dismiss
151_opinion_and_order_2025-08-12.pdf
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 16/08/2025
Looking forward to this series on accountability for spyware harms from Just Security: www.justsecurity.org/117335/legal...
justsecurity.org
Legal Frameworks for Addressing Spyware Harms
Introducing a new series on accountability for spyware harms convened by the Atlantic Council in partnership with Just Security.
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Reposted by Siena Anstis
evacide @evacide.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
Ron Deibert is absolutely the voice that the infosec industry needs to be listening to right now. We are in a moment where fascism is consolidating power and most of the infosec industry is either playing along or is busy bragging about how much AI they've shoved into their products.
techcrunch.com
Citizen Lab director warns cyber industry about US authoritarian descent | TechCrunch
Ron Deibert, the head of the prominent digital human rights groups Citizen Lab, sounds the alarm at the Black Hat security conference about the "dramatic descent into authoritarianism," but one that t...
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Reposted by Siena Anstis
lokman tsui @lokman.org · 08/08/2025
beijing forces thai art gallery to shutdown an exhibition on transnational repression. hey siri, what’s the definition of transnational repression? www.reuters.com/world/china/...
reuters.com
Exclusive: Thai gallery removes China-focused artworks after 'pressure' from Beijing
In what artists called the latest attempt by Beijing to silence critics overseas, the Bangkok Arts and Cultural Centre changed multiple works by artists in exile in the exhibit on authoritarian governments collaborating across borders.
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Reposted by Siena Anstis
John Scott-Railton @jsrailton.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
NEW: 🇩🇪#Germany's top court says spyware severely violates fundamental rights. Bans spyware in cases with <3year sentences. Imposes tough proportionality tests. Restricts #spyware to serious cases. Very interesting 1/ www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/SharedDocs/P...
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
A range of other issues are discussed as well, e.g., use of sanctions, the role of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, etc. Overall, these recommendations reflect what experts have been calling for -- now to see if they are implemented...
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
It also describes how INTERPOL has been abused and leveraged by perpetrating states and the serious impact this has on e.g., asylum applications, and recommends pressure to reform & mitigation strategies in the interim (e.g., training immigration staff on Red Notices abuse).
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
The report highlights the need for proactive community outreach and engagement with targeted communities to ensure sufficient support is provided, training for law enforcement on TNR, and the opening of a dedicated national reporting hotline for individuals targeted with TNR.
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
Recommendations include the adoption of a formal definition of TNR, systematically collecting TNR-related data, and strengthening existing legislation (e.g., domestic criminal law) to ensure it captures TNR.
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
The UK Joint Committee on Human Rights makes a range of sound recommendations on what the UK needs to do to address TNR -- other countries should consider these closely: committees.parliament.uk/committee/93...
committees.parliament.uk
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
The report also highlights the need for proactive community outreach and engagement with targeted communities to ensure sufficient support is provided, training for law enforcement, and the opening of a dedicated national reporting hotline for individuals targeted with TNR.
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Siena Anstis @sanstis.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
Recommendations include the adoption of a formal definition, systematically collecting TNR-related data, and strengthening existing legislation (e.g., domestic criminal law) to ensure it captures TNR.
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