Uyghurs facing deportation by Thailand say they will be ‘like slaves’ in China
Activists fear Bangkok will give in to pressure from Beijing despite reports of torture and human rights abuses against the mostly muslim ethnic minority The deportation of two more Uyghurs to China from Thailand would put their lives in grave danger, activists have said, with one of the men saying he would be “like a slave” if he was sent back. Last year, Thai authorities forcibly deported 40…
Activists warn that Thailand may succumb to Beijing's pressure to deport Uyghurs despite past incidents of torture and human rights abuses against the mostly Muslim ethnic minority. Two Uyghur men, transferred recently to an immigration detention center, fear they will face a life akin to slavery if deported to China. One man wrote a letter to his girlfriend expressing his fear of returning to China, stating, "Sometimes I thought why I’m a human being.
What I do wrong against China … no want to go back to China." Thai authorities had forcibly deported 40 Uyghur men to China last year, despite pleas from the individuals and the United Nations. The United States and Canada offered to resettle the individuals, but Thailand seemed to avoid upsetting Beijing. The UN has stated that the whereabouts of the returned individuals remain unknown.
Human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, have called for the two men to be allowed to travel to a safe third country, criticizing Thailand's history of detaining Uyghurs in inhumane conditions and sending them back to China.
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