Rabia İclal Turan
February 27, 2025•Update: February 28, 2025
WASHINGTON
The US on Thursday "strongly" condemned Thailand for forcibly deporting at least 40 Uyghurs to China, where he said they faced "genocide and crimes against humanity".
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms Thailand’s forced return of at least 40 Uyghurs to China, where they lack due process rights and where Uyghurs have faced persecution, forced labor, and torture,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.
Rubio expressed alarm over Thailand’s actions, saying they could violate its international obligations under the UN Convention Against Torture and the International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
“This act runs counter to the Thai people’s longstanding tradition of protection for the most vulnerable and is inconsistent with Thailand’s commitment to protect human rights,” he said, urging all governments not to forcibly return Uyghurs to China.
"China, under the direction and control of the Chinese Communist Party, has committed genocide and crimes against humanity targeting predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and other members of ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang," Rubio said.
"We call on Chinese authorities to provide full access to verify the well-being of the returned Uyghurs on a regular basis,” he said, urging the Thai government to ensure that their human rights are protected.
Rights groups, including Human Rights Watch (HRW), previously urged Thailand not to repatriate the Uyghurs forcibly as they face a high likelihood of severe human rights violations, including arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance and torture, if returned to China.
In a letter last month, HRW called on the Thai government to grant the Uyghurs access to the refugee status determination processes.
In January, Rubio pledged to press Bangkok not to deport Uyghurs.
Xinjiang is home to more than 10 million Uyghurs. The Turkic Muslim group, which makes up around 45% of the region’s population, has long accused China of cultural, religious and economic discrimination. Beijing denies the charge.
