Thailand authorities have confirmed that at least 40 Uyghurs have been deported to China, despite warnings from rights groups that they may be subjected to torture or death.
It is believed that the group was returned to China’s Xinjiang region on Thursday after being detained in a Bangkok detention centre for a decade.
In the north-western region of Xinjiang, China has been accused of perpetrating crimes against humanity and potentially genocide against the Uyghur population and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups. Beijing refutes each one of the accusations.
Thailand has deported Uyghurs for the first time since 2015.
The deportation has been shrouded in secrecy following the United States and the United Nations’ significant concerns.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, Thai media reported that numerous vehicles, some equipped with black plastic sheets to obscure their windows, departed Bangkok’s primary immigration detention centre.
A few hours later, Flightrader24, a flight tracker, indicated that an unscheduled China Southern Airlines flight had departed Bangkok and subsequently arrived in Xinjiang. The number of individuals who had been deported was not immediately apparent.
The Thai government subsequently stated that it had resolved to return the 40 Uyghurs to China, citing their unjust detention for over a decade.
Concerns Over Thailand’s Human Rights Violations in Uyghur Deportation
However, it also stated that no other third country had offered to accept them, including Turkey, which has previously granted asylum to Uyghurs.
Five of the eight Uyghurs in Thailand serve jail sentences for offences they committed while in detention.
The government also stated that Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was assured that the Uyghurs would be provided for upon their return to China during her most recent visit to the country.
She did not initially disclose that any deportations had occurred when reporters enquired about them on Thursday.
“In any country in the world actions must adhere to the principles of law, international processes, and human rights,” Shinawatra emphasised.
Beijing declared that 40 Chinese illegal immigrants were repatriated from Thailand; however, it declined to verify that the group consisted of Uyghurs.
“The repatriation was carried out in accordance with the laws of China and Thailand, international law and international practice,” the ministry of foreign affairs reported.
According to Chinese state media, the party was stranded in Thailand after illegally exiting the country and was “bewitched” by criminal organisations.
The returned party comprises over 300 Uyghurs who were apprehended at the Thai border in 2014 after fleeing repression in Xinjiang.
The deportation of a significant number of individuals to Turkey and the return of others to China in 2015 sparked a wave of protest from human rights organisations and governments.
In a social media post on Thursday, opposition lawmaker Kannavee Suebsang enquired, “What is the Thai government doing?”
“The deportation of Uyghurs to face persecution is unacceptable.” They were imprisoned for eleven years. For an extended period, we infringed upon their human rights.
The Uyghurs were detained in a detention centre that was notoriously unsanitary and congested, despite the fact that they had not been charged with any crimes, except for entering Thailand without a visa. Five Uyghurs perished while in custody.
Human Rights Watch issued a statement on Thursday indicating that the group is currently at a significant risk of long-term imprisonment, enforced disappearance, and torture.
“The transfer of Uyghur detainees to China by Thailand is a clear violation of Thailand’s obligations under domestic and international law,” stated Elaine Pearson, the organization’s Asia director.
“Until yesterday [Wednesday], senior Thai officials had made multiple public assurances that these men would not be transferred, including to allies and UN officials.”
Phil Robertson, director of the Asia Human Rights and Labour Advocates (AHRLA) group, stated that the deportations “completely destroyed” the “charade” that the current Thai government was distinct from the previous one “in terms of transnational repression and collaboration with authoritarian neighbours.”
The deportations were characterised as “unimaginably cruel” by Amnesty International.
UN, EU, and US Condemn Thailand’s Decision to Deport Uyghurs to China
Secretary of State Marco Rubio of the United States condemned Thailand for the deportation on Thursday and exhorted “all governments in countries where Uyghurs seek protection not to forcibly return ethnic Uyghurs to China.”
In an online statement, he accused China of “committing genocide and crimes against humanity against predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and other members of ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang.”
The EU reiterated the United Nations’ statement that it “deeply regrets” the deportations.
In the interim, David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, expressed his adamant opposition to Thailand’s decision.
Xinjiang, which is officially known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is home to approximately 12 million Uyghurs, the majority of whom are Muslim.
The Uyghurs identify themselves as culturally and ethnically akin to Central Asian nations and speak their language, similar to Turkish. They constitute less than half of the population of Xinjiang.
The state is purportedly responsible for the widespread migration of Han Chinese (China’s ethnic majority) into Xinjiang in recent decades to reduce the minority population.
In addition to the destruction of mosques and monuments, China has been accused of targeting Muslim religious figures and prohibiting religious practices in the region.
Salman Ahmad is known for his significant contributions to esteemed publications like the Times of India and the Express Tribune. Salman has carved a niche as a freelance journalist, combining thorough research with engaging reporting.
