World Uyghur Congress condemns Thailand’s deportation of Uyghur refugees, calls for international action

The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) vehemently denounced the forced repatriation of 40 Uyghur refugees from Thailand back to China on Thursday.

“This unlawful act has placed these individuals in significant jeopardy, as they now face an increased likelihood of persecution, torture, and severe violations of human rights at the hands of the Chinese government,” the WUC said in a statement.

A WUC report indicates that Romadon Panjor, a Thai Member of Parliament from the People’s Party, shared a video on X that depicted a large detention vehicle arriving at the Suan Phlu immigration detention center. Reports indicate that these detainees were later transferred to a nearby airport and sent back to China. When questioned about the incident, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra did not verify whether the deportation had occurred.

“Thailand’s credibility on the global stage has been compromised due to this issue. Thailand must be held responsible for this breach of human rights. The UNHCR has also failed in its duty to protect this vulnerable group in significant peril and TNR,” remarked the WUC President in response to the unfortunate news. “The future of those who were deported remains uncertain, as they may face the most severe consequences,” as quoted in the WUC report.

The Uyghur refugees involved were part of a contingent that escaped China’s oppression in East Turkistan and had been unjustly detained in Thailand since 2014. Previously, 109 of their fellow detainees were forcibly returned to China, despite the Thai government’s assurances to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), according to the WUC.

The WUC’s report emphasised that the remaining refugees were denied access to legal representation, humanitarian protection, and resettlement options, despite numerous international appeals. Despite pledges of assistance, the UNHCR has similarly failed to provide adequate protection for the group over the past decade, facing substantial pressure from the Chinese government, with their intervention proven to be insufficient and belated.

Thailand’s choice to deport these Uyghur refugees represents a blatant breach of international law, particularly the non-refoulement principle, which forbids sending individuals back to a nation where they face serious threats to their lives and freedoms. Past incidents of Uyghur deportations to China have led to individuals vanishing, enduring indefinite detention, or suffering severe mistreatment and abuse, according to the WUC report.

The WUC had previously urged Thailand’s government to avoid deporting Uyghurs, highlighting that such actions would not only jeopardize the lives of those being sent back but also tarnish Thailand’s international standing and its commitment to human rights. They called upon the Thai government to confirm and comment on the situation and clarify the status of these deported Uyghurs.

The WUC requests that the United Nations, the European Union, and concerned nations should take swift action regarding this deportation, with diplomatic and legal pressure to be applied to ensure accountability.