A group of Uyghur men who have been detained in Thailand for over a decade have raised concerns that the Thai government is planning to send them back to China, prompting worry among activists and family members. The men fear that they may face abuse and torture if they are deported.
In a letter obtained by The Associated Press, 43 Uyghur men detained in Bangkok have appealed for help to prevent their imminent deportation. They fear being imprisoned or even losing their lives if sent back to China and are urgently seeking intervention from international organizations and countries concerned with human rights.
The Uyghurs are a Muslim ethnic group of Turkic descent from Xinjiang, China. They have faced discrimination and suppression of their cultural identity by the Chinese government, leading to a crackdown that some Western governments have labeled as genocide. Hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs have been detained in camps and prisons, with reports of abuse, disease, and deaths.
In 2014, over 300 Uyghurs attempting to flee China were detained by Thai authorities near the Malaysian border. While some were deported to China in 2015 against their will, others were sent to Turkey. A group of 53 Uyghurs remained in Thai immigration detention, seeking asylum. Tragically, five have died in detention, including two children.
Advocates and relatives have highlighted the harsh conditions faced by the Uyghur detainees in Thai immigration detention. They describe inadequate food, overcrowded cells, poor sanitation, and lack of communication with the outside world. The treatment of the detainees by the Thai government may violate international law, according to United Nations human rights experts.
Recent reports suggest that there have been discussions within the Thai government about deporting the Uyghur men to China. The move has raised concerns, especially as similar deportation documents were presented to Uyghurs in 2015. The detainees have refused to sign any deportation papers.
The push for deportation is rumored to be influenced by the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China this year, with a belief that the U.S. may not strongly oppose the move due to the upcoming presidential transition. Both the Thai and Chinese foreign ministries have not yet commented on the situation.
The authenticity of the accusations against the 43 Uyghurs detained in Thailand as jihadists remains unsubstantiated, as no evidence has been presented to support such claims. In contrast, Uyghur activists and rights groups assert that these individuals are innocent and express deep concern over the prospect of their deportation back to China, where they could face severe persecution, imprisonment, and even death.
Peter Irwin, Associate Director for Research and Advocacy at the Uyghur Human Rights Project, emphasized the lack of evidence indicating any criminal activities by the detained Uyghurs. Irwin stressed that these individuals have a fundamental right to protection against deportation and are well within their rights under international law to seek refuge outside of China.
The detention center where the Uyghurs are currently held appeared quiet on a Saturday morning, with a guard informing an Associated Press journalist that the facility would be closed until the following Monday. Sources with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed that all Uyghur detainees in Thailand had submitted asylum applications to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), a fact corroborated by reviewed copies of the application letters. Despite the acknowledgment of receipt by the UN agency, the Thai government has reportedly prevented the UNHCR from accessing the Uyghurs detained in Thailand.
Requests for comment from the UNHCR on the matter were met with silence at the time of reporting. Concerns regarding the safety and well-being of the detained Uyghurs were echoed by their relatives, who expressed deep anxiety over their loved ones’ uncertain fate. Bilal Ablet, whose elder brother is among the detainees, highlighted the shared sense of worry and fear experienced by families in this situation, criticizing the apparent lack of action by world governments in response to the plight of the Uyghurs.
Thai officials reportedly informed Ablet’s brother that no other government had shown willingness to accept the Uyghurs for resettlement. However, a leaked letter dated April 2023, attributed to the chairwoman of the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand and independently verified by the AP, suggested that there were countries prepared to receive and accommodate the detained Uyghurs.
Abdullah Muhammad, a Uyghur residing in Turkey, shared his distress over the detention of his father, Muhammad Ahun, in Thailand. Despite his father’s illegal entry into Thailand, Muhammad affirmed his innocence of any other wrongdoing, noting that he had already paid fines and served a lengthy period of detention. Muhammad vehemently denied any involvement in terrorism on his father’s part, expressing bewilderment over the circumstances surrounding their predicament.
The situation involving the detained Uyghurs in Thailand continues to unfold amid international scrutiny and calls for justice. As concerned parties await further developments, the fate of these individuals remains uncertain, underscoring the complexity and urgency of addressing the challenges faced by the Uyghur community in the region.
Reporting by Kang from New York, with contributions from Associated
