Thailand is facing sharp criticism over its treatment of Uyghur men, after authorities deported 40 of them to China last year and now face a decision on whether to send two more back. Activists and rights groups warn that the men could face torture and abuse, and one detainee has said he expects to be treated like a slave if returned.
The 40 men were sent back despite pleas from the detainees themselves and warnings from the United Nations. The UN says the whereabouts of those 40 returnees remain unknown, meaning international monitors have been unable to establish where they are or what has happened to them since their arrival in China. Activists say that lack of information is itself a cause for alarm, given reports of abuse against Uyghurs held in the country.
The Uyghurs are a mostly Muslim ethnic minority from Xinjiang, a region in north-western China. Rights groups have documented extensive detention and surveillance of the community there, and reports of mistreatment have made many Uyghurs who have fled abroad fear forced return. Beijing has rejected such accusations, but the risks Uyghurs face on return sit at the centre of the current dispute.
The two men now at risk are awaiting a decision, and the outcome had not been settled at the time of reporting. Human Rights Watch has urged Thailand not to return them, arguing that sending them back would breach the principle of non-refoulement, which bars states from returning people to places where they face serious harm. Activists have also warned of grave danger for the pair if they are transferred to Chinese custody.
Reports suggest the United States and Canada have offered to resettle the men, an option that would allow them to leave Thailand without being sent to China. Bangkok, however, appears reluctant to take any step that might upset Beijing, a relationship Thai officials have long valued for trade and investment. Activists fear that this economic and diplomatic weight will push Thailand to bow to Chinese pressure rather than honour its human rights obligations.
The case places Thai prime minister Anutin under scrutiny. Critics argue that his government will be judged on whether it stands by the two men or allows the deportation to proceed, and the decision will be read as a test of how Thailand balances its international commitments against its ties with Beijing. For now, the fate of the two detainees remains uncertain, while questions about what happened to the 40 men already returned to China continue to go unanswered.