China seeks arrest of 5 Uyghurs held in Thailand
Thailand says a court will decide whether to extradite the five men, who human rights groups warn face the risk of torture and other serious abuses if returned to China.
On Wednesday, Thailand's National Security Council Secretary-General Chaipruak Doungprapat informed reporters that five Uyghurs detained since 2014 in Bangkok's Sathorn immigration detention centre are subject to Chinese arrest warrants. He stated that a Thai court will determine whether they will be repatriated to China. Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have expressed concerns about the Uyghurs' potential return to China, citing the risk of torture and other serious abuses.
Two of the five men were recently pardoned by Thailand's authorities and are currently detained, awaiting their fate. They claim they do not wish to return to China, fearing severe consequences for themselves and their parents. Thailand, which is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention, is bound by the international principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the deportation of individuals to countries where their lives or freedom are at risk.
China has denied allegations that it is detaining over a million Uyghurs and other Muslims in Xinjiang, claiming that its policies have promoted economic development and combated extremism. However, the Uyghur people have accused China of treating them as less than human. Both China and a Western country reportedly requested the extradition of the five detained Uyghurs to their respective countries.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
