Thailand PM defends deportations of 40 Uyghurs amid international outcry News
Prachatai, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Thailand PM defends deportations of 40 Uyghurs amid international outcry

Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra claimed on Monday that the deportation of 40 Uyghurs to China was in accordance with human rights standards. Citing photos published by the Chinese authorities, Shinawatra stated her confidence that “China will take good care of this group of people.”

“We actually did everything correctly on human rights,” Shinawatra told reporters, defending the decision despite warnings from international organizations that the deported Uyghurs face a high risk of persecution, torture, or enforced disappearance upon their return to China.

On February 27, Thai authorities deported 40 Uyghur detainees to China as alleged offenders of illegal immigration. The Chinese Embassy in Thailand claimed that the repatriation allowed these Chinese nationals to reunite with their families and best protect their legal rights. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian also denied the allegations of potential human rights violations, arguing that the repatriation were a part of China’s effort to combat illegal migration as international crimes and enhance global security.

Nonetheless, international human rights agencies were not persuaded. Human Rights Watch has strongly criticized the repatriation, urging Thailand to stop further deportations and allow the remaining Uyghur detainees access to refugee protection mechanisms. The rights group emphasized that the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to a country where they may face harm, is a fundamental norm under international law.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk and the UN refugee agency also condemned Thailand’s actions, calling them “a clear violation of international human rights” by ignoring repeated requests to access the detained Uyghurs and ensure they were not forcibly returned.

The deported individuals had been held in Thai immigration detention facilities for over a decade in conditions described as simply inhumane. Reports indicate that overcrowding, poor sanitation, and lack of medical care led to at least five deaths during their detention.

The case dates back to 2014 when Thai authorities detained approximately 220 Uyghurs near the Malaysian border. While some were later sent to Türkiye, others remained in indefinite detention. In 2015, Thailand faced a similar backlash after forcibly repatriating over 100 Uyghurs to China.

Advocacy organizations, including the Campaign for Uyghurs and Amnesty International, have called on the Thai government to halt further deportations and clarify the legal status of the remaining Uyghur detainees. Meanwhile, the US Congress’s House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party has urged Thailand to allow the Uyghurs to resettle in countries where they would be free from persecution.

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