Thai court dismisses detention challenge by Chinese reporter

A Thai court dismissed a challenge by Chinese investigative journalist Bai Zhaodong on Friday over his prolonged detention in Bangkok, despite authorities beginning extradition proceedings to send him to China, his lawyer Nadthasiri Bergman told AFP. Bai, a UN recognized refugee, arrived in Thailand in 2024 after leaving China in the same year.

He has been detained at a Bangkok immigration center since January and was arrested by Thai prosecutors on Thursday under an extradition warrant from Beijing, moving him to a remand prison. Bangkok South Criminal Court rejected Bai's challenge on Friday morning, stating that the extradition request from China meant his detention was necessary.

The court hearing was scheduled weeks earlier and Bai was not present. He is set to appear on January 25 in the extradition case. China alleges Bai of extortion and bribery, but rights groups claim he faces persecution if returned to China due to his two decades of exposing government corruption. An undisclosed country has offered Bah asylum, but two attempts to travel there have been cancelled due to Thai immigration authorities withholding exit clearance.

Reporters Without Borders and Human Rights Watch have criticized Thailand's treatment of Bai as 'scandalous' and 'deeply troubling,' respectively. Thailand, not bound by the UN Refugee Convention's non-refoulement principle, has deported 40 Uyghurs to China in February 2024, despite objections from activists. The Thai foreign ministry did not comment on the matter.