Uyghurs facing Thai deportation fear slavery in China
The gist
Two Uyghur men detained in Thailand for over 12 years told a Thai rights body they do not want to be sent back to China.
Amnesty warns a forced return risks torture, and activists fear a repeat of last year's deportation of 40.
How it unfolded
- 2014The two men were among more than 300 Uyghurs fleeing China detained by Thai authorities near the Malaysian border.
- 2015Thailand deported 109 Uyghurs to China against their will, prompting an international outcry; the Thai embassy in Turkey was ransacked in protest.
- Jan 10, 2025Forty-eight Uyghur men detained in Thailand since 2014 began a hunger strike over possible deportation and indefinite detention.
Key terms
- Uyghurs
- A Turkic, mostly Muslim ethnic group native to Xinjiang in northwest China and recognized as one of China's official ethnic minorities.
- extradition
- Formal legal process by which one jurisdiction surrenders a person accused or convicted of a crime to another jurisdiction for prosecution or punishment.
- National Security Council
- The main Thai forum used by the prime minister and cabinet to coordinate national security and defense policy.
Source: Wikipedia