(Adnkronos) – Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has responded to accusations of human rights violations following the forced repatriation of about 40 Uyghur citizens to China. Despite criticism from several international organizations, which denounce the persecution of the minority, the Thai leader defended her government’s actions, claiming that Bangkok “acted in accordance with the law”.
During a press conference, Shinawatra reiterated that the decision was not linked to any trade or political agreement with Beijing and stressed that “people are not commodities to be traded.” “We have carefully examined the case and have acted in accordance with the law in force,” she said, justifying the deportation on the grounds that the Uyghur citizens had entered the country illegally and had been in prison for eleven years.
The prime minister said that during this time, no country has offered to take in these people. According to Thai authorities, China has provided evidence proving the Chinese citizenship of the deportees, thus allowing their expulsion. “If we had been able to verify that they were citizens of another state, we would have sent them elsewhere,” she clarified, stressing that “Thailand has not violated any UN rules or human rights.”
Shinawatra also said the Thai government had received assurances from Beijing that Uyghur citizens “will not face persecution or harsh interrogation” and that they will be “reunited with their families and reintegrated into society.” “This issue has been the subject of discussion between the two governments for some time,” she added, reiterating that the decision has no relation to trade talks between Thailand and China.
Despite Bangkok’s reassurances, the decision has sparked international outrage. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) condemned the deportation, stressing that the Uyghurs involved had expressly stated their fear of returning to China. Ruvendrini Menikdiwela, head of the UN agency, said it was “a clear violation of the principle of non-refoulement”, contrary to Thailand’s international commitments.
Amnesty International also denounced the operation, with China director Sarah Brooks calling the transfer “terribly cruel.” “Deported Uyghurs risk serious human rights violations in China,” she warned, recalling that these people fled precisely to escape repression.
