A human rights activist has criticized the Thai government’s claims that the deportation of 40 Uyghurs back to China was transparent and voluntary.
Sunai Phasuk, Human Rights Watch Thailand’s senior researcher, said that what happened to the Uyghurs sent back to China on Thursday morning should be called forced repatriation.
“If the repatriation was transparent and they willingly wanted to return home, why were the vans transporting them from the Bangkok detention center covered with black tape, and why was the process carried out at 2 am?” he said.
He added that the Thai government should not trust China's non-verbal promises that the Uyghurs would not face human rights abuses.
“In the past, Uyghurs who were repatriated to China suffered human rights violations,” Sunai said. He also questioned whether those recently sent back would be prosecuted for escaping China.
The international community, including the United States and the United Kingdom, has condemned Thailand’s repatriation of the group.
China has long faced criticism from human rights groups, Western governments, and the United Nations over its treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang.
Reports have documented mass arbitrary detentions, forced labor, and political indoctrination in what China calls “re-education” centers.
Beijing has denied these allegations.
