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.

The resolution was adopted 482 votes in favour, 57 against and 68 abstentions. It condemns the recent deportation of at least 40 Uyghur refugees to China, where they risk arbitrary detention, torture, and serious human rights violations, and demanded that the Thai authorities immediately halt further forced returns of refugees, asylum seekers, and political dissidents to countries where their lives are at risk. It notes that, prior to the deportation, the refugees were detained in immigration detention centres for over a decade, and that at least five Uyghurs have died due to the inhumane conditions.

The resolution demands that the Thai authorities grant the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) unrestricted access to detained Uyghur asylum seekers and provide information on their status. It calls on Thailand to ratify the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol, and to implement a “transparent, fair and humane asylum system.”

China must also grant the UNHCR access to the deported refugees, says the resolution, calling for respect for the refugees’ fundamental rights, transparency on their whereabouts, and the release of detainees.

The resolution stresses that Thailand is “an important EU partner” and encourages Thailand to “strengthen its institutions in line with democratic principles and international human rights standards.” It calls for the repeal of the royal defamation law and other repressive laws to guarantee the freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, and political participation. Amnesty must be granted to all MPs and activists prosecuted or imprisoned for royal defamation or charges under other repressive laws.

According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), at least 278 people have been charged with royal defamation since November 2020 for political expression, including by speaking at protests and posting or commenting on social media. Of the 45 people currently detained on charges relating to political expression, 29 are held on royal defamation charges.  

The European Parliament calls on the European Commission to leverage free trade area (FTA) negotiations to press Thailand to amend the royal defamation law, release political prisoners, halt the deportation of Uyghur refugees, and ratify all core International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions. EU member states should also suspend extradition treaties with China.