Thailand deported 40 Uyghur asylum-seekers to China, despite warnings of torture and imprisonment. The Uyghurs, who had been detained for over a decade, were part of a group arrested in 2014 after fleeing China to seek protection in Thailand. Rights groups, U.S. officials, and Thai lawmakers condemned the move, saying it violated domestic and international laws. Chinese officials stated that the deportation was legal and that the individuals’ rights were protected. The Uyghurs now face risk of torture, enforced disappearance, and imprisonment in China.
Photos showed trucks leaving an immigration center in Bangkok, bound for Xinjiang on an unscheduled flight. The Thai Prime Minister emphasized the importance of following the law, international process, and human rights protocols. In 2015, Thailand had previously deported more than 100 Uyghur detainees to China, resulting in the death of several individuals.
The Uyghurs faced poor conditions in Thai detention, without access to family members, lawyers, or international organizations. The U.N. had urged Thailand not to repatriate the Uyghur detainees due to the risk of torture. Uyghurs in China face discrimination and suppression of their cultural identity, with many Western governments labeling China’s policies as genocide. U.S. officials had lobbied Thailand to protect the Uyghur detainees’ human rights, but were unable to prevent their deportation.
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