Reyhan Topal is an Information Controls Fellow collaborating with the Uyghur Transitional Justice Database. She is an adjunct professor and research manager at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy at University at Albany, State University of New York.
As part of her OTF fellowship, Topal is investigating China’s digital transnational repression efforts targeting the Uyghur diaspora. This entails analyzing the intricate dynamics of the collaborative relationship between China, host states, and technology companies. Topal seeks to answer the following: (1) How China cooperates with host states technically to execute digital transnational repression, and (2) how technology companies play a role in preventing or exacerbating the risk of digital transnational repression.
Topal will collect evidence of China’s digital transnational repression in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the technological tools used against Uyghur diaspora communities. She will then develop practical solutions to counter this repression, helping journalists, activists, and others preserve their fundamental human rights online.