Uyghurs detained in Thailand say they face deportation and persecution in China

According to the Associated Press, a group of Uyghur men who were detained in Thailand more than a decade ago say the Thai government is preparing to repatriate them to China. This news has raised concerns among human rights activists and families who believe these men will face the risk of abuse and torture if returned.

A letter obtained by the Associated Press reveals that the 43 Uyghur men detained in Bangkok have made a public appeal to stop what they call an imminent threat of repatriation. “We may be imprisoned or even lose our lives,” the letter stated. “We urgently appeal to all international organizations and countries concerned with human rights to intervene immediately and save us from this tragic fate before it is too late.”

The Uyghurs are a Turkic-speaking, predominantly Muslim ethnic group living in China's western Xinjiang region. Long in conflict with Beijing over issues of discrimination and suppression of cultural identity, the Chinese government has launched a brutal crackdown on the Uyghurs, which some Western governments have deemed a genocide. Hundreds of thousands, possibly over a million, Uyghurs have been placed in concentration camps and prisons, with former detainees reporting abuse, disease, and even death in some cases.

In 2014, more than 300 Uyghurs fleeing China were detained by Thai authorities near the Malaysian border. In 2015, Thailand repatriated 109 detainees to China against their will, sparking international outcry. Another group of 173 Uyghurs, mostly women and children, were sent to Turkey, leaving 53 Uyghurs stranded in Thai immigration detention seeking asylum. Since then, five have died in detention, including two children.

Of the 48 people still detained by Thai authorities, five are serving sentences for attempted escape. It is unclear whether they will face the same fate as those in the immigration detention center. Human rights advocates and relatives have described the harsh conditions of the immigration detention center. They say the men are deprived of food, held in crowded concrete cells with few toilets, denied hygiene items such as toothbrushes or razors, and prohibited from contacting relatives, lawyers, and international organizations. A letter from UN human rights experts to the Thai government in February 2024 stated that the Thai government's treatment of the detainees may violate international law.

Thai immigration police have said they have been doing their best to care for the detainees. Recordings and chat logs exclusively obtained by the AP reveal that on January 8, Thai immigration officials asked the Uyghur detainees to sign voluntary repatriation documents. This move caused panic among the detainees, as similar documents were presented to Uyghurs who were repatriated to China in 2015. The detainees refused to sign.

Three sources familiar with the matter, including a Thai member of parliament and two other individuals with ties to Thai authorities, told the AP that there have been recent internal discussions within the Thai government about repatriating the Uyghurs to China, although these individuals have not seen or heard of any formal repatriation order. Two of them stated that the Thai officials pushing for repatriation chose to do so now because this year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China, and because they believe that strong opposition from Washington will be diminished as the U.S. is preparing for a presidential transition in less than two weeks.

Beijing claims that the Uyghurs are jihadists but has provided no evidence. Uyghur activists and human rights groups say the men are innocent and express concern over their possible repatriation, stating that they will face persecution, imprisonment, and even possible execution in China. “There is no evidence that these 43 Uyghurs have committed any crime,” said Peter Irwin, Deputy Director of Research and Advocacy at the Uyghur Human Rights Project. “This group has a clear right not to be returned, and their flight from China is consistent with international law.”

On Saturday morning, the detention center where the Uyghurs are being held was silent. A guard told an AP reporter who visited that the center would be closed by Monday. Two individuals with direct knowledge of the situation told the AP that all Uyghurs detained in Thailand have submitted asylum applications to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which the AP confirmed by reviewing copies of the letters. The UN agency acknowledged receiving the applications, but the Thai government has so far prohibited them from visiting the Uyghurs.

Discussions about possible repatriation have also reached the United Nations. “We also heard unconfirmed reports and immediately checked with the authorities, who assured us that this was not the case,” said UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch. “We continue to remind the authorities of their obligations on non-refoulement and advocate for alternatives to detention.” Under international law, the principle of non-refoulement stipulates that no one should be returned to a country where they may face torture.

Three relatives of the detained Uyghurs told the AP they fear for their loved ones' safety. “We are all in the same situation – constant worry and fear,” said Bilal Ablat, whose brother is detained in Thailand. “Governments around the world know about this, but I think they pretend not to see or hear because they are afraid of pressure from China.”

Ablat added that Thai officials told his brother that no other government was willing to take in the Uyghurs, despite a letter written by the chairman of the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand in April 2023 stating that “there are countries ready to receive these detainees for resettlement.” The letter was initially leaked to The New York Times Magazine, and the AP also independently saw the letter.

Abdullah Muhammad, a Uyghur living in Turkey, said that his father, Muhammad Ahon, is among the men detained in Thailand. Muhammad said that while his father entered Thailand illegally, he has not committed any other crimes and has paid the fines and spent over a decade in detention. “I don’t understand what this is for. Why?” Muhammad said. “We have nothing to do with terrorism, nor have we committed any terrorist acts.”