<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/27/thailand-deports-dozens-of-uyghurs-to-china-despite-torture-fears>
"Dozens of Uyghurs have been deported from Thailand to China in the face of
warnings from human rights experts that there is a high risk they will suffer
torture, enforced disappearance and imprisonment.
US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, on Thursday said the US condemned
Thailand’s move “in the strongest possible terms”.
Local media reported that several trucks with their windows covered were seen
in the early hours of Thursday leaving the Bangkok immigration centre where 48
Uyghurs had been held during their more than 10 years in Thai detention.
A few hours later, at 4.48am, an unscheduled China Southern Airlines flight
took off from Bangkok’s Don Mueang airport, and it landed in Kashgar, in
China’s Xinjiang region, about six hours later, according to Flightradar24.
A video posted online showed handcuffed men being escorted off a China Southern
Airlines plane.
The Thai deputy prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai confirmed the deportation,
telling
Reuters that China had assured Thailand the 40 Chinese Uyghurs it
returned on Thursday would be looked after.
“It was done in accordance with Thai law and international principles. There
are no problems. They will be looked after well because they are their people,”
Phumtham said. “There are undergoing health checks. After that, they will be
sent home. Their relatives have received them.”
China’s government had earlier announced that a group of 40 “illegal
immigrants” had been repatriated from Thailand. China’s public security
ministry said it attached “great importance” to their return and the
“repatriation” was “in line with the laws” of China and Thailand and
international practice.
The security official did not mention that the group were Uyghurs, and many
people who commented on social media appeared to presume they were linked to
scam farms.
At a separate press conference, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin
Jian rejected criticisms from “so-called human rights advocates” and said all
ethnic groups in China enjoyed rights and freedoms as Chinese citizens.
“Certain political forces have been spreading lies concerning Xinjiang in order
to disrupt the order in Xinjiang. We are firmly opposed to such interference,”
he said."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
