Thailand Urged to Stop Deportation of 48 Uyghurs Amid Hunger Strike

Jan 19, 2025, 01:07 PM

A group of 48 Uyghur men, detained in Thailand for over a decade, are at imminent risk of being deported to China, where they face severe risks including enforced disappearance, long-term imprisonment, and torture. The Uyghurs, who have been held in inhumane conditions, have recently gone on a hunger strike to protest their potential deportation. Human Rights Watch has urged Thailand not to deport the Uyghurs, citing the country's obligations under international law to respect the principle of nonrefoulement. The Thai government has been under pressure from China to return the Uyghurs, despite previous instances where similar deportations led to the disappearance of the individuals involved.