Anenemy of the state is a person suspected of politicalcrimes against thestate, such astreason. In designating certain persons and organizations as enemies of the state, the government can realize thepolitical repression of political opponents, such asdissidents; thus a government can justify political repression as protecting thenational security of the country and the nation.^{[citation needed]}

• Inancient Rome, some parties could be named an enemy of the state through specific public actions resulting in a formallyrecognized state of war.^[1] The Latin termproscription was used for official condemnation of enemies of the state.^[2]
• The term "enemy of the people" in theSoviet Union during the period ofStalinism.
• Communists were considered as enemies of the state inIndonesia since1965. Displayingcommunist symbols or attempting to propagate the ideology is considered an act ofhigh treason andterrorism punishable by up to 20 years of imprisonment.^[3]
• Jews,Romani people,Jehovah's Witnesses,homosexuals,disabled,communists,social democrats andtrade unionists were considered "enemies of the state" inNazi Germany.^[4]
• Carlos Lamarca, aBrazilian ArmyCaptain whodeserted to become the leader of a left-wing guerrilla againstthe military dictatorship; Lamarca was the only man in thehistory of Brazil to receive the status oftraitor, being considered an "enemy of the state".^{[citation needed]}
• Leaker of classified U.S. military documents and diplomatic cablesChelsea Manning was charged with "aiding the enemy" (identified asal-Qaeda).^[5][6]
• Edward Snowden, the American computer specialist wholeaked details of top-secret United States and British governmentmass surveillance programs to the press,^[7] has been discussed by opinion writers as being persecuted as an enemy of the state.^[8]
• Human rights defenders working on behalf of communities affected by large-scaledevelopment projects are increasingly branded as enemies of the state.^[9][where?]
• Clive Palmer, an Australian mining magnate, was labelled as such byMark McGowan, thePremier of Western Australia, when Palmer sued theWestern Australian government for not allowing him free entry into the state during theCOVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.^[10]

• Justin Raimondo's biography ofMurray Rothbard,An Enemy of the State: The Life of Murray N. Rothbard.^[11]
• Bill Lueders' biography ofErwin Knoll,An Enemy of the State: The Life of Erwin Knoll.^[12]

• The fictional character Peter LaNague in the novelAn Enemy of the State (The LaNague Federation, Book 1) byF. Paul Wilson.^[13]
• The fictional characterEmmanuel Goldstein in the novelNineteen Eighty-Four byGeorge Orwell.
• InResident Evil: Damnation, special agentLeon S. Kennedy is accused of being an enemy of the state by President of the Eastern Slav Republic Svetlana Belikova who orders her guards to kill him right after she briefly spars in one-on-one combat with him.^[14]
• The six main characters inFinal Fantasy XIII are branded as enemies of the state following the destruction of Cocoon; the main events of the game revolve around them trying to survive and hopefully clear their names.
• Tali'Zorah is accused of treason during her personal quest inMass Effect 2.
• In theNCIS: New Orleans episode "Breaking Brig," the team hunt down a suspect known as "Matt S. O'Feeney", which was ananagram foreneMy OF State.^[15] The suspect was a dangerous man wanted byNCIS andInterpol for illegal arms dealing and other criminal activities.
• The protagonists ofAvatar: The Last Airbender are declared enemies of the state byLong Feng, Grand Secretariat of the Earth Kingdom's capital city, in the episode "Lake Laogai."

• Enemy of the people
• Public enemy
• Fifth column