Opposition MP warns against deporting two Uyghur detainees to China

People’s Party MP Sasinan Thamnithinan has warned that returning two Uyghur detainees to China would violate Thailand’s anti-torture law.

The opposition lawmaker on Tuesday urged the government and the National Security Council to halt any possible deportation of the two detainees, warning that they could face torture or enforced disappearance.

Ms Sasinan, a Bangkok MP and lawyer, called on authorities to suspend any repatriation pending independent assessments of the risks the two men face.

Both were recently granted royal pardons and transferred to the Immigration Detention Centre at Suan Phlu on Oct 21. One was a minor when first detained in 2014.

Ms Sasinan said both had submitted written statements refusing to be repatriated to China. However, lawyers, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the UN refugee agency have been unable to meet them since their transfer.

She cited Section 13 of the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act, which prohibits returning people to countries where they face a risk of torture or enforced disappearance.

She also questioned Clause 8 of the Prime Minister’s Office’s 2026 deportation regulation, arguing that its provision for automatic repatriation after a specified period undermines legal protections.

Ms Sasinan called for access to legal assistance, disclosure of the men’s legal status, independent risk assessments, arrangements for resettlement in a safe third country and amendments to Clause 8.

Thailand deported 109 Uyghurs to China in 2015 and another 40 in February last year. The NHRC subsequently found that the latter deportation violated human rights and the principle of non-refoulement, and that assurances from China were insufficient.

The Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) issued a similar appeal on Friday, urging Thailand to halt deportations and calling on other governments to offer resettlement to the Uyghurs remaining in detention.

UHRP executive director Omer Kanat warned against repeating past deportations, saying the whereabouts and wellbeing of the 40 men returned in February last year remained independently unverified.

Ms Sasinan said Thailand’s economic and security cooperation with China should not override its human rights obligations.