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2mo ago

US Sanctions Thai Officials Over Deportation of Uyghurs to China

The US imposes visa restrictions on officials involved in the forced return of 40 Uyghurs to China, citing risks of persecution and human rights abuses.

Suspected Uyghurs are transported back to a detention facility in the town of Songkhla in southern Thailand after visiting women and children at a separate shelter March 26, 2014.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks with reporters following the G7 foreign ministers meeting in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada March 14, 2025. SAUL LOEB/Pool via REUTERS
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Overview

  • The US State Department announced visa restrictions on current and former Thai officials responsible for deporting 40 Uyghurs to China on February 27, 2025.
  • The Uyghurs, detained in Thailand for over a decade, were forcibly returned despite international warnings of potential torture and enforced disappearances in China.
  • Thailand defended the deportation, stating it had received assurances from China regarding the safety of the deportees and plans to send a delegation to Xinjiang to monitor their welfare.
  • The US policy aims to deter other governments from complying with China's pressure to repatriate Uyghurs, whom rights groups say face genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang.
  • The European Parliament also condemned the deportation, calling on Thailand to halt further forced returns and reform its human rights practices.