Thailand Urged Not to Deport 48 Uyghurs on Hunger Strike After 10 Years in Detention

Jan 19, 2025, 04:31 PM

Thailand is facing international pressure not to deport 48 Uyghur men who have been detained in the country for over a decade. The Uyghurs, who fled persecution in China, are at risk of enforced disappearance, long-term imprisonment, and torture if returned. Recent actions by Thai immigration officials, including the distribution of 'voluntary return' forms and photographing the detainees, have heightened fears of imminent deportation. The detainees have initiated a hunger strike to protest their potential forced return to China. Human Rights Watch has urged the Thai government, led by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, to release the Uyghurs and allow them safe passage to a third country. The situation has drawn attention from global human rights organizations and U.S. lawmakers, who have called for Thailand to adhere to international law and humanitarian principles.