Representative Chris Smith, Republican of New Jersey, on Tuesday spearheaded a congressional hearing that called for urgent action in response to what he described as the “massive and worsening” human rights violations committed by the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Smith, who chairs the bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, positioned the hearing as part of a broader effort to move beyond documenting abuses and toward policy remedies.

He urged lawmakers to support legislation he is reintroducing — the Transnational Repression Policy Act — aimed at punishing foreign governments that target political dissidents abroad. The hearing also drew attention to a recent recommendation by a federal watchdog agency that Turkey be placed on a U.S. government watch list for religious freedom violations.

“We are here to expose and explore ways to mitigate and hopefully end massive violations of human rights,” Smith said at the opening of the hearing, titled “Human Rights in Turkey Today.”

Smith, a longtime advocate for global religious and political freedoms, warned that Turkey under Erdogan had become one of the most aggressive governments in the world in pursuing critics beyond its borders. He cited reports of abductions, arbitrary arrests, censorship, and intimidation campaigns that have extended as far as the United States and Europe.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators take part in a rally to mark the 15th anniversary of the Mavi Marmara Gaza flotilla incident and to protest against Israel, in Istanbul, Turkey, June 1, 2025. REUTERS/Murad Sezer

Among those testifying was Enes Kanter Freedom, a former NBA player and outspoken critic of Erdogan’s government, and Alp Aslandogan, executive director of the Alliance for Shared Values, a U.S.-based organization linked to the exiled cleric Fethullah Gülen. Both described sustained efforts by Turkish authorities to silence them through arrest warrants, defamation campaigns, and reported kidnap attempts.

“Kanter Freedom … has already been subjected to death threats, arrest warrants, attacks, social media campaigns, and several kidnap and extradition attempts,” Smith told the commission.

According to the U.S. State Department’s 2023 Human Rights Report, the Erdogan government has engaged in arbitrary detention, political interference in the judiciary, forced disappearances, and significant restrictions on freedom of expression. The report cited the imprisonment of more than 15,000 individuals allegedly affiliated with the Gülen movement, with thousands more detained on vague terrorism-related charges, including journalists and pro-Kurdish politicians.

People take part in a protest against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as part of a corruption investigation, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 25, 2025. REUTERS/Umit Bektas

Smith used the hearing to build support for the Transnational Repression Policy Act, which he described as a critical tool to hold authoritarian regimes accountable for extraterritorial human rights abuses. The bill would authorize visa and financial sanctions against foreign officials involved in targeting dissidents abroad, require U.S. intelligence agencies to elevate the issue as a priority, and improve protections for political asylum seekers.

The legislation, which Smith said would be formally reintroduced “shortly,” had previously drawn bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress. A version introduced in 2023 stalled in committee.

Also highlighted at the hearing was a recent recommendation by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom that Turkey be placed on the State Department’s Special Watch List, citing systematic discrimination against Alevi Muslims, Christians, and other religious minorities. While the list does not trigger automatic sanctions, it increases diplomatic pressure and may factor into foreign aid and trade decisions.

Human rights experts say the combination of targeted sanctions and official designations could mark a turning point in how the U.S. responds to Erdogan’s increasingly authoritarian policies — particularly if they gain traction in bipartisan circles.

People take part in a rally ahead of the International Women’s Day, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 6, 2022. REUTERS/Dilara Senkaya

Though the Tom Lantos Commission does not have legislative power, Smith has used its hearings to push forward human rights bills in the past, including measures targeting China, Russia, and Iran.

As he emphasized in a 2024 congressional hearing, “We must send a clear message. The United States will not tolerate transnational repression — not from Turkey, nor from any regime that seeks to extend its authoritarian grip across borders.”