The World Uyghur Congress has issued a statement condemning the death penalty given by the Bangkok South Criminal Court against two Uygur men for alleged involvement in the August 2015 Erawan Shrine bombing.

UN experts today (27 February) expressed grave concern about 40 Uyghur Muslim men forcibly returned to China by Thai authorities a year ago, whose fate, state of health and whereabouts remain unknown.

The National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRC) has released the findings of its investigation into the deportation of 40 Uyghur refugees, concluding that the act violated human rights and the principle of non-refoulement.

Ministers and members of the Thai media have arrived in China’s Xinjiang Province to visit and check on 40 Uyghur deportees who were repatriated to China, amid concerns over their well-being in China.

The US Department of State will be imposing visa restrictions on Thai government officials responsible for the forced return of 40 Uyghur refugees to China, said Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Thursday (14 March) condemning Thailand's deportation of Uyghur refugees to China and its use of the royal defamation law. MEPs called on the Commission to leverage free trade agreement negotiations to demand reform.

For the past six years, Masiyah has prepared meals for Uyghur refugees detained at an immigration detention facility in rural Thailand. She later fell in love with one of the refugees and became like family to the rest of the detainees. Amid growing international concern for the safety of 40 Uyghur refugees deported to China by the Thai government on 27 February 2025, Masiyah tells Prachatai of the abuse inside the detention centre in Mukdahan and said that she does not believe the refugees would voluntarily return to China.

Ministers have confirmed the deportation of 40 Uyghur refugees, claiming that they agreed to return to China, and that no third country had offered to take them. Meanwhile, letters written by the Uyghurs have been revealed, showing their desire not to return to China.

Police chief Pol Gen Kitrat Panphet confirmed today (27 February) that the Thai authorities have returned 40 Uyghur refugees held in the Immigration Detention Centre to China on a request from the Chinese government. Meanwhile, several human rights organizations condemned the deportation as a violation of Thailand's international obligations as the refugees are at risk of human rights abuses if returned to China. Some also said that the forced return undermine Thailand's credibility as a member of the UN Human Rights Council.

Amidst concerns that the Thai authorities are preparing to deport 48 Uyghur refugees detained at Bangkok's Suan Phlu Immigration Detention Centre back to China, at least three groups of detainees were moved in the middle of the night on Wednesday (26 February) and early Thursday morning (27 February). The second and third groups were moved in trucks with blacked-out windows, while police officers asked reporters not to take pictures.

Following reports that the Thai government is planning to deport 48 Uyghur refugees detained by the Thai authorities to China tomorrow (27 February), the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) demands that the Thai government immediately halt the plan as the refugees would be put at risk of human rights abuses if they deported to China.

The Government of Thailand must immediately halt the possible transfer of 48 Uyghurs to the People’s Republic of China, UN experts* said on Tuesday (21 January), warning that the group was at real risk of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment if they are returned.