Bangkok [Thailand], February 27 : Thailand sent back 40 Chinese individuals categorized as "illegal immigrants" on Thursday, following claims by human rights activists and a Thai news organization that the country was deporting Uyghurs who had been held in Thailand for over 10 years, according to a report by Radio Free Asia (RFA).
The group, predominantly members of the primarily Muslim minority from China's Xinjiang, has been confined in Thailand's Immigration Detention Center since 2014, after attempting to flee Beijing's oppression by passing through Thailand, RFA reported.
A human rights organization reported that in early January, updates from those being detained suggested that Thai officials were getting ready to deport them, but Thai authorities denied these claims, stating there was no intention to send them back to China, according to the RFA report.
"40 Chinese nationals who illegally entered Thailand have been repatriated," RFA quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian as saying.
"The repatriation was carried out following the laws of China, Thailand, international law and international common practices. It is a step taken by both sides to combat illegal immigration and cross-border crimes. The welfare rights of the people concerned are fully protected," RFA quoted him as saying.
He did not specify that those deported were Uyghurs, but referenced Chinese media claiming they were "under the spell of criminal organizations" and left stranded in Thailand. The situation concerning the Uyghurs remained unclear, and Thai authorities declined to confirm or deny their deportation, RFA reported.
A spokesperson from the US State Department expressed concern on Wednesday about reports that the 48 were on the verge of being deported, urging Thailand to adhere to the principle of non-refoulement which prohibits returning individuals to countries where they might face torture or other forms of mistreatment and to fulfill its international responsibilities.
Opposition lawmaker Kannavee Suebsang stated that the government needed to provide answers. "What actions is the Thai government taking? The prime minister must promptly respond to the public," Kannavee posted on social media as cited by RFA.
"There must not be Uyghur deportation to face persecution. They were jailed for 11 years. We violated their human rights for too long. There must be a better way out" as quoted by RFA.
Human Rights Watch said the situation was "very concerning". "It has been 48 hours since we've been able to contact the Uyghurs in detention," Sunai Phasuk, senior Thailand researcher at Human Rights Watch, told BenarNews.
Phasuk further said, "There are no answers from the Immigration Bureau to the government. The silence from the operational level officers all the way to the prime minister is unusually surprising."
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