Thailand faces criticism over possible deportation of Uyghur detainees

Human‑rights organisations have warned that Thailand may deport two Uyghur men currently held in an immigration detention centre, a move they say would expose the men to serious risk of persecution in China. The men, whose identities are being withheld for security reasons, have expressed a desire to avoid return, with one writing that he would feel “like a slave” if forced back to China.

The two detainees are part of a larger group of more than 200 Uyghurs who were intercepted by Thai police in 2014 after fleeing from China near the Malaysian border. Since that time, women and children from the group have been released to Turkey, while men have faced prolonged detention and, in some cases, forced deportation. In 2025, Thai authorities deported 40 Uyghur men to China despite objections from the men themselves and the United Nations.

Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, called on Thai authorities to allow the two men to travel to a safe third country, citing previous instances where deported Uyghurs disappeared after arrival in China. Pearson noted that earlier Thai governments had kept Uyghurs in “inhumane detention” before complying with Beijing’s requests for repatriation, a practice she described as contributing to potential crimes against humanity.

The United Nations has reported that the whereabouts of the 2025 returnees remain unknown. The UN and several governments, including the United States and Canada, have previously offered to resettle Uyghur detainees, but Thai officials have reportedly been reluctant to act in ways that could upset diplomatic relations with Beijing. The Thai National Human Rights Commission received a plea from the two men on Wednesday, urging a reconsideration of any deportation plan.

China has defended its policies in the Xinjiang region as measures aimed at poverty alleviation and counter‑terrorism, despite international criticism that the policies amount to systemic oppression of the largely Muslim Uyghur minority. The situation highlights ongoing tensions between Thailand’s immigration enforcement, international human‑rights obligations, and diplomatic pressures from China.