The OMCT has expressed alarm over Thailand deporting 40 Uyghurs back to China, questioning the country’s commitment to non-refoulement obligations. The deportees, part of a larger group detained since 2014, face serious risks including torture upon return. UN experts have called for Thailand to protect Uyghurs’ rights, demanding cessation of forced repatriations and access to independent monitoring of detainees.
The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) has raised serious concerns regarding Thailand’s recent deportation of at least 40 Uyghurs, detained since 2014, back to China. This deportation challenges Thailand’s commitment to international law, specifically the non-refoulement principle that prohibits sending individuals back to places where they may face torture or inhuman treatment.
The deportees are part of a larger group of around 350 Uyghurs who fled persecution in China’s Xinjiang region and were captured by Thai authorities in March 2014. They have spent over ten years in detention without legal representation or contact with family or UN agencies, suffering from severe isolation. Thailand’s previous forced return of 109 Uyghurs to China in 2015 drew significant international condemnation, citing grave risks of human rights violations that returnees face.
Reports document China’s systematic repression of Uyghurs, with abuses such as arbitrary detentions, torture, and enforced disappearances recognized as potential crimes against humanity by UN experts and human rights organizations. In January 2025, UN experts cautioned Thailand against deporting 48 Uyghur detainees, highlighting their vulnerability to torture and noting that 23 of them are in poor health, exacerbating the risks upon their return to China.
As a new member of the UN Human Rights Council, Thailand is called upon to uphold human rights standards and clarify the fates of the deported Uyghurs, ensuring their safety. The OMCT demands Thailand cease forced deportations to China and afford Uyghur detainees independent medical care while adhering to international detention standards. They also advocate for the immediate access of independent monitors to assess detainee conditions.
Furthermore, the OMCT urges the Chinese government to immediately reveal the whereabouts and conditions of the deported Uyghurs, ensuring their rights are protected, particularly from torture and enforced disappearances.
TAGS: China, 10.07.23, Statements
The deportation of Uyghurs from Thailand to China raises significant human rights concerns, emphasizing the need for Thailand to comply with international obligations regarding non-refoulement. The systematic human rights violations faced by Uyghurs in China warrant immediate actions to protect their well-being. Thailand must uphold human rights standards and grant access to independent oversight to ensure humane treatment of all detainees.
Original Source: www.omct.org
