- विज्ञापन -
Brussels: The European Parliament has issued a resolution condemning Thailand for deporting 40 Uyghur refugees back to China, arguing that the action violated international law, according to Radio Free Asia (RFA).
The resolution stated that the deported individuals, who were sent back on February 27, face the risk of “arbitrary detention, torture, and severe human rights abuses.” It also highlighted that other countries had offered to accept the refugees.
The 40 Uyghurs had been held in Bangkok’s Immigration Detention Center for more than a decade after arriving in Thailand in 2014 as part of a group fleeing persecution in China. Reports from Uyghurs who had previously tried to escape China suggest that the deported individuals are likely to face severe punishment.
RFA also confirmed that two Uyghurs, Memet Awut and Turdi Abla, who initially planned to flee China in 2014 but later returned to Xinjiang, were arrested and sentenced to nine years in prison after abandoning their escape attempt.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok stated that the deported Uyghurs would undergo “vocational skills training” after being reunited with their families. However, China has detained nearly 2 million Uyghurs in camps in Xinjiang, where they are subjected to forced labor. The Chinese government claims these camps are vocational centers where “students” voluntarily learn new skills.
The EU resolution, while not explicitly mentioning the camps, urged China to respect the rights of the deported individuals and ensure transparency regarding their whereabouts. It also recognized Thailand as an important EU partner, encouraging the country to strengthen its institutions in line with democratic principles and international human rights standards.
