Thailand Denies Plans to Deport Uyghur Refugees Amid UN Concerns

Thai authorities have denied any immediate plans to repatriate 48 Uyghur refugees back to China, following warnings from UN experts about the potential for torture upon their return, DW news agency reported. The group has been held in immigration centers since their arrests in 2013 and 2014 after fleeing alleged human rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang region.

A senior immigration official stated that any decision regarding repatriation would be made by the national security council, emphasizing that no orders to deport the Uyghurs currently exist. Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai supported this claim, asserting there is no immediate plan for deportation.

Human Rights Watch reported that the Uyghurs have been asked to complete new paperwork, raising fears of imminent transfer. UN experts highlighted that 23 of the refugees suffer from serious health conditions and warned of the risk of “irreparable harm” if returned to China. The situation echoes past incidents, including the controversial deportation of over 100 Uyghurs to China in 2015, which drew international condemnation.