Thailand Deports Uyghur Asylum Seekers Amid Rights Concerns

On Thursday, Thailand deported approximately 40 Uyghur asylum seekers back to China, sparking outrage among human rights organizations, New York Times reported. Activists and foreign governments had previously warned that the deportees, part of a persecuted Muslim minority, could face torture and imprisonment upon their return.

The group of Uyghurs had been detained in Bangkok for over a decade after fleeing China in 2014, seeking refuge in Turkey, which has a significant Uyghur population. Last month, some detainees staged a hunger strike to protest the looming deportation. The detainees had complained about horrific sanitation and hygiene conditions, while having no way to communicate with the outside world.

Witnesses reported seeing six trucks, covered with black cloth, leaving an immigrant detention center in downtown Bangkok early Thursday morning, accompanied by police vehicles. An unscheduled flight operated by China Southern Airlines departed for Kashgar, Xinjiang, landing shortly after noon local time.

Julie Millsap from No Business With Genocide confirmed that at least 40 men had likely been deported. Human Rights Watch condemned the Thai government for violating both domestic and international laws by proceeding with the deportation despite earlier assurances to the contrary.

The Chinese state media reported the repatriation was conducted in accordance with national and international laws, but provided no specifics about the deportees’ identities or their treatment upon return. The Thai police and foreign ministry have not commented on the situation.