JUSTICE Minister Thavi Sodsong said today (March 14) the Foreign Ministry has a plan to deal with European Parliament condemning Thailand for deporting 40 Uyghurs to China on the night of February 27, Naewna newspaper said.
In condemning the deportation of Uyghur refugees to China, the European Parliament urged Thailand to halt any further forced returns to countries where peoples’ lives are at risk.
Members of European Parliament (MEPs) called on the European Commission to leverage free trade agreement negotiations to press Thailand to reform the country’s lese-majesty law, release political prisoners, halt the deportation of Uyghur refugees, and to ratify all core International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.
Thavi pointed out that everything was done according to the law and the Thai government has to explain this to the international community with this being the duty of the Foreign Ministry to do so.
Asked about concerns that the deportation of Uyghurs could hinder free trade negotiations with the EU as means to pressure Thailand, Thavi refused to comment only saying that he had to go back to work.
The United States and other countries made repeated offers to Thailand to resettle the 40 Uyghur men before they were deported back to China, where rights groups fear they may face torture and other abuse, AP quoted the US State Department as saying last week.
The 40 Uyghurs, who had been in Thai custody since 2014 after fleeing state repression of their minority group in China’s northwestern Xinjiang region, were whisked away from a Bangkok detention centre under cover of darkness.
“We have worked with Thailand for years to avoid this situation, including by consistently and repeatedly offering to resettle the Uyghurs in other countries, including, at times, the United States,” the State Department said in response to questions from The Associated Press.
MEPs said that extradition treaties with China should be suspended, insisting that China must respect the fundamental rights of deported Uyghurs, ensure transparency about their whereabouts, grant the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) access, and release detainees.
MEPs adopted the resolution by 482 votes in favour, 57 against and 68 abstentions.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Trucks leaving an immigration detention centre in Bangkok on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. Photo: Nuttaphol Meksobhon/Prachatai, via Associated Press and published by Yahoo!News
Insert: Justice Minister Thavi Sodsong. Photo: Thai Rath
Front Page: The Chinese Embassy in Bangkok released images apparently showing Uyghur men being reunited with their families after being deported from Thailand. Photo: Chinese Embassy Bangkok and published by Naewna newspaper
Also read: Thailand deports 40 Uyghur men back to China after more than a decade in detention
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