🚨 YOUR VOICE NEEDED: CONGRESS SEEKS TESTIMONIES

The US Congress is investigating how authoritarian regimes weaponize financial regulations against American donors supporting democracy. WE NEED YOUR INPUT.

📢 WHY YOUR TESTIMONY MATTERS

Chairman #McGovern asked me directly: "Your testimony calls for the Treasury Department to issue a financial crimes enforcement network advisory highlighting foreign governments' misuse of anti-money laundering/anti-terrorism financing tools to target U.S. entities and residents in transnational repression. Has the Treasury Department made any steps in this regard? If not, what do you think is a productive pressure point?"

This question shows Congress recognizes that the case of American philanthropist Barlyk #Mendygaziyev demonstrates a terrifying trend:

🔻His brother Bekizhan imprisoned in #Kazakhstan as RETALIATION for Barlyk's pro-democracy advocacy

🔻US banks terminated their financial services based on Kazakhstan's false claims and accusations

🔻Kazakhstan exploited AML/CFT laws to silence American donors

🎯 THE BIGGER PICTURE

When authoritarian regimes can:

🔻Turn US financial institutions against democracy donors

🔻Weaponize "anti-extremism", AML, cybersecurity laws and international cooperation mechanisms against civil society and donors transnationally and domestically

🔻Take family members hostage to silence advocacy

Every donor, activist, and NGO becomes vulnerable transnationally

💪 WHY DEFENDING DONORS IS CRITICAL

🔻Democracy movements NEED financial support

🔻Majority of the prodemocracy donors are U.S. philanthropists. They are at risk of being criminalized for supporting human rights if no remedies established

🔻Kazakhstan's playbook is being copied by other autocrats

🔻US financial system is being turned against democracy itself

📝 WHAT CONGRESS NEEDS FROM YOU

Submit testimonies/recommendations on:

🔻How financial debanking affects pro-democracy work in your country

🔻Your experiences with weaponized AML compliance

🔻Policy recommendations to protect legitimate donors

🔻Cases of authoritarian abuse of US financial systems or U.S. financial intelligence (I will explain more in the next post)

🔗 WE HELP YOU TO SUBMIT

Information to the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission:

🔻Send your story to me

🔻Reference: [mention your country] Transnational Financial Repression

🔻Deadline: end of July 2025

When autocrats can silence American donors, democracy loses its lifeline. Your voice can help Congress close these dangerous loopholes.

#DefendDonors #TransnationalRepression #TransnationalFinancialRepression #Congress #Democracy #HumanRights #Philanthropy #CivilSociety #TomLantos #USCongress #AML #CFT