Detained Uyghurs in Thailand Face Imminent Return to China

48 Uyghurs detained in Thailand for more than a decade are at risk of being sent back to China, sparking urgent calls for protection from the UN. The situation highlights the use of immigration policies by authoritarian regimes for transnational repression, emphasizing the need for international intervention.

A group of 48 Uyghurs, detained in Thailand for over ten years, are facing the imminent threat of deportation to China. They have appealed to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for protection amidst growing concerns about the fate of refugees, some of whom have died in custody, according to a report by Freedom House.

UN human rights specialists have made a public plea to Thai authorities, urging them to halt the repatriation of these individuals to China, where they face potential torture and imprisonment. This case exemplifies the oppressive reach of authoritarian regimes, utilizing other countries' immigration policies for transnational repression to intimidate and silence critics across borders.

The Freedom House report notes that since 2014, the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, home to Uyghurs and other Turkic ethnic groups, has been subjected to China's aggressive campaigns against supposed terrorism. Fleeing this persecution, many Uyghurs attempted to migrate to Turkey via unauthorized routes through Southeast Asia. In Thailand, the authorities have detained hundreds, revealing a disregard for international refugee conventions.

The report underscores that Thailand has not ratified the 1967 protocol or the UN Refugee Convention, leading to the indefinite detention of those considered illegal migrants. This includes Uyghurs, who are subject to Thailand's strict national security measures. They face isolation from other inmates and lack access to public services through the National Screening Mechanism, which remains available to other migrants.

Complicating their predicament is China's notorious international repression, with 22% of documented incidents by Freedom House occurring between 2014 and 2024. The impact spans various targets, including journalists and human rights advocates. There's still a chance to prevent the return of these men; Thai authorities could facilitate their resettlement in a third country with the help of the UNHCR, resisting Beijing's influence.