Photo: ISHR
Thai authorities forcibly deported 40 Uyghurs to China, disregarding international warnings and fundamental human rights protections. The move has drawn widespread condemnation and raised concerns over Thailand’s credibility as a UN Human Rights Council member.
On 27 February 2025, Thai authorities forcibly deported 40 Uyghur individuals – who had attempted to transit through then seek asylum in Thailand – to China in a secretive overnight operation. The deportation, which took place as Thailand begins a three-year term on the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), has drawn widespread condemnation from UN bodies, Western governments and human rights organisations.
The forced deportation of Uyghurs has triggered strong criticism from high-level UN officials. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the deportation ‘is a clear violation of international human rights laws and standards’. In a rare statement on the matter, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) also condemned the action and called on Thailand to ‘put an end to the forced return of individuals from Thailand.’
This is not the first time Thailand has forcibly returned Uyghurs to China. In July 2015, Thai authorities deported about 100 Uyghurs to China, despite strong international concerns over their safety. The 40 Uyghurs deported on Thursday had been held on national security grounds in Thailand for over a decade. They have been prevented from being visited by and accessing the UNHCR despite attempts to submit asylum requests, and kept in dire conditions of detention, resulting in the death in custody of five.
The latest deportation followed the same troubling pattern and demonstrated Thailand’s continued disregard for its obligations under international law, particularly the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to countries where they face a credible risk of persecution, torture, or enforced disappearance. As a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), Thailand is legally bound to prevent such returns. The deportation also contradicts Thailand’s own Act on Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearances, which codifies non-refoulement into national law, and reflects a worsening trend of transnational repression against dissidents and diaspora communities in Southeast Asia.
The systematic repression of Uyghurs in China has been widely documented by UN bodies, foremost the assessment of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on the Uyghur region (Xinjiang) concluding that these abuses may amount to international crimes, including crimes against humanity. The OHCHR assessment details widespread arbitrary detentions, forced labour, mass surveillance, and systemic persecution targeting the Uyghur populations. Yet, Thailand claims that actions were ‘undertaken in line with international standards’ on the basis of ‘clear assurances from the Chinese government for their safety.’
Elected last October to serve a three-years term on the UN’s Human Rights Council, Thailand should ‘uphold the highest human rights standards’ as required for all HRC members by UN General Assembly resolution 60/251. During ISHR and Amnesty International’s pledging event prior to the HRC election in September 2024, Thailand had pledged to continue to care for the Uyghur detainees until a viable solution for the group was found.
It is ludicrous that on the heels of taking its seat as a Human Rights Council member, Thailand chose to ignore compelling UN evidence and instead pointed to Beijing ‘reassurances’ that no harm would be done to the deported Uyghurs. This casts serious doubt at Thailand’s own commitments as a Council member to uphold the ‘highest human rights standards, and its credibility to serve on the Council.Raphael Viana David, ISHR China Programme Manager
Thailand’s recent review by the Committee Against Torture in November 2024 highlighted serious concerns about deplorable and life-threatening conditions in migration detention centres, which have led to the deaths of several Uyghur detainees. In its Concluding Observations, the Committee urged Thailand to ensure that ‘no one may be expelled, returned or extradited to another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he or she would be in danger of being subjected to torture.’
Prior to the deportation, UN Special Procedures experts had urged Thailand to ensure the Uyghur detainees were not sent to China. In a press release on 21 January 2025, UN experts urged Thailand to immediately halt the deportation of 48 Uyghurs, warning that the men faced the ‘risk of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment’ if they were returned. A detailed communication from UN Special Procedures experts in February 2024 also outlined the grave human rights concerns associated with the deportation.
Uyghur human rights organisations have also strongly condemned the deportation. They described the deportation as an egregious human rights violation.
Thailand has lost its credibility on the international scene over this issue. Thailand must be held accountable for this violation of human rights. The UNHCR has also failed in its mission to protect a vulnerable group exposed to great danger and transnational repression.World Uyghur Congress (WUC)
Thailand has cowardly capitulated to pressure from the Chinese government, acting in clear violation of international law. After over ten years of detention, they will face immediate persecution.Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP)
ISHR echoes the call of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, urging Thailand to protect all remaining Uyghur detainees from refoulement, and China to disclose their whereabouts and guarantee their treatment in line with international human rights standards.
ISHR also urges all countries where Uyghurs, Tibetans, Hong Kongers, mainland Chinese human rights defenders or any other individuals at credible risk of persecution or other grave human rights violations are seeking asylum or transiting, to uphold the principle of non-refoulement, as well as ensure protection from transnational repression, while underscoring the pivotal role OHCHR and UNCHR should play in securing relocation and resettlement in line with international human rights standards.
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