Lawyers representing Zhang Xinyan, a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and UN-recognised refugee, has not been able to reach her since she was detained by the Thai authorities on 8 July.

Zhang was about to board a flight at Suvarnabhumi Airport to Canada, where she was to resettle, when she was stopped by Thai officials, told that she must cancel her travel plans, and took her back to the Suan Phlu Immigration Centre. Concerns have been raised that she would be in danger if she is deported back to China.

54-year-old Zhang is a Chinese national who moved to Thailand following years of alleged prosecution based on her Falun Gong practice, a spiritual movement banned in China. She is also a member of the “Hong Kong Parliament,” a group formed by exiled activists. In July 2025, the Hong Kong police issued an arrest warrant for Zhang and 14 other members of the group for alleged subversion under Hong Kong’s draconian National Security Law.

The group was accused of organizing unofficial polls outside Hong Kong in order to form a shadow legislature to advance the principle of “Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong.”  Their bounties ranged from HKD 200,000 to 1 million (approx. USD 25,000-127,000).

Zhang was previously detained on 9 May for allegedly overstaying her visa. Sunai Phasuk, Human Rights Watch's Senior Thailand Advisor, said in a 10 July interview that attempts were made to negotiate for her release and resettlement. Canada eventually approved her resettlement, after which arrangements were made for her travel. However, she was stopped from boarding her 9 July flight to Vancouver as planned. 

Krittaporn Semsantad, program director at the Peace Rights Foundation, said today (15 July) that lawyers have not been able to contact Zhang since 9 July and are now concerned that she may have been deported. The lawyers were informed on 9 July that Zhang did not board her flight and that she was taken back to the detention centre along with other Chinese nationals, who Krittaporn alleged are going to be deported.

Krittaporn said that the legal team has filed a petition with the South Bangkok Criminal Court  under the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act for a hearing. They requested that the Court summon all relevant agencies, including the Immigration Bureau, to testify to the Court on why Zhang was prevented from boarding her flight to resettlement and why her lawyers have not been informed of her whereabouts. If Zhang is still in Thailand, they requested that she be presented to the Court.

Krittaporn questioned why the Immigration Bureau detained Zhang when she was to resettle in a third country. She alleged that Chinese nationals detained at the immigration centre, many of whom were involved with illegal businesses and scam centres, were going to be deported to China between 13 – 15 July, and said she is concerned that detained dissidents will be deported with them. She noted that the lawyers file a letter asking to visit Zhang between 13 – 15 July, but their request was denied. 

“We see this as an intentional attempt to conceal [Zhang’s] fate, so that we cannot know if our client will be deported,” Krittaporn said.

The South Bangkok Criminal Court has scheduled a hearing tomorrow morning at 10.00. Krittaporn said that this is the first time a court has accepted a petition filed under the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act.

If Zhang is still held at the detention centre, Krittaporn said that the lawyers will summon evidence to show whether she was en route to resettlement and, if so, why she was prevented from travelling. The Thai Immigration Bureau would not be allowed to detain her if she has already been approved for resettlement, Krittaporn said.

Krittaporn said there is a high chance that Zhang would be deported. She noted that it was abnormal for her lawyers to not be allowed to visit her because visits are usually allowed unless it was a public holiday or another important occasion. The team has become more concerned as they learned the Immigration Bureau planned to hand over detainees with alleged involvement in scam centres and money laundering to China without going through human trafficking screening mechanisms, and that a chartered flight would be sent to take them. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul will be visiting China on 16 July.

Krittaporn said that one refugee was deported to China in June 2025, and that she will be filing a petition with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) regarding the refugee’s deportation. She questioned whether the Thai authorities is cooperating with the Chinese authorities, why China appears to know about the movement of refugees in Thailand, and why Thailand is complying with China’s demands.