Thailand deported dozens of Uyghurs to China on Thursday despite warnings from human rights groups that they would face persecution on their return, drawing swift condemnation from the United Nations.
Beijing is accused of committing human rights abuses in its northwestern Xinjiang region, including the incarceration of around one million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities. It denies the allegations.
Rights groups had warned in recent weeks that Bangkok was preparing to deport a group of 48 Uyghurs being held in immigration centres around Thailand.
They said the Uyghurs fled China more than a decade ago and lived in constant fear of being sent back.
Thai national police chief Kitrat Phanphet confirmed the deportations on Thursday, saying Beijing had requested the return of 40 Uyghurs.
鈥楾he Chinese government wrote to the Thai government expressing sincerity and their intention to take care of Uyghurs, promising in the letter that they will be looked after, and guaranteed their accommodation and their safety,鈥� Kitrat told reporters.
鈥榃e follow the procedure of international principle and laws,鈥� he told reporters, saying the handover went smoothly and the Uyghurs did not resist.
Thailand forcibly deported 109 Uyghurs to China in 2015, drawing a stern rebuke from Washington and the UN, but had repeatedly denied the existence of plans for a new round of deportations.
UN rights chief Volker Turk said on Thursday the latest group had been 鈥榝orcibly returned鈥� in a 鈥榗lear violation鈥� of international human rights laws and standards.
鈥楾his violates the principle of non-refoulement for which there is a complete prohibition in cases where there is a real risk of torture, ill-treatment, or other irreparable harm upon their return,鈥� he said in a statement.
鈥業t is now important for the Chinese authorities to disclose their whereabouts, and to ensure that they are treated in accordance with international human rights standards.鈥�
The UN refugee agency said it 鈥榙eeply regrets the deportation鈥�, condemned the move and called on Bangkok to 鈥榩ut an end to the forced return of individuals from Thailand鈥�.
China鈥檚 public security ministry said 40 Chinese 鈥榠llegal migrants鈥� had been deported from Thailand 鈥榠n accordance with international law鈥�.
Asked whether the group included Uyghur detainees, Beijing鈥檚 foreign ministry said only that they had 鈥楥hinese nationality鈥�.
鈥楾he repatriations were a concrete measure of cooperation between China and Thailand in combating cross-border crimes,鈥� ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a regular news briefing.
鈥楾he legitimate rights and interests of the persons concerned were fully protected,鈥� Lin said. He declined to give further details.
Chinese public security officials said in a statement the deportees 鈥榳ere lured by criminal organisations into illegally leaving the country and remaining in Thailand鈥�.
鈥楾hey and their families have suffered great harm, and their relatives have repeatedly requested that the Chinese government provide assistance so that they can return to the embrace of the motherland,鈥� the unidentified officials said.
Beijing and Bangkok are working closely to return thousands of Chinese workers from online scam compounds, with Thailand acting as a bridgehead for returns.
However, most of those compounds are based in Myanmar, with few if any workers staying in Thailand for prolonged periods.
The group of 48 Uyghurs, arrested in 2013 and 2014, were being held in immigration centres across Thailand.
Thai authorities had allegedly held the group in de facto detention for more than a decade with no access to lawyers or family members.
Campaigners warned on Wednesday that detention facility officials were preparing to transfer the Uyghurs to Don Mueang airport, Bangkok鈥檚 secondary international terminal.
Flight tracking websites later showed a Chinese commercial plane departing Bangkok for Kashgar in Xinjiang.
Rights groups and Uyghurs overseas allege that China has detained more than a million Muslims, mostly Uyghurs, in a network of facilities in Xinjiang that are rife with violence, torture, forced labour, political indoctrination and other abuses.
The UN has said Beijing鈥檚 actions may constitute 鈥榗rimes against humanity鈥� and the United States has branded them a 鈥榞enocide鈥�.
China vehemently denies the accusations, saying its policies in Xinjiang have eradicated extremism and boosted development, and that the facilities were voluntarily attended training centres that closed years ago after attendees 鈥榞raduated鈥�.
On Thursday, China鈥檚 foreign ministry accused 鈥榮ome political forces鈥� of spreading lies about Xinjiang.
Rights groups slammed the deportation, with Human Rights Watch calling it 鈥榓 blatant violation of Thailand鈥檚 obligations under domestic and international laws鈥�.
鈥楾he men now face a high risk of torture, enforced disappearance, and long-term imprisonment in China,鈥� it鈥檚 Asia director Elaine Pearson said.
The Thai government acknowledged the concerns but insisted it acted in accordance with international law.
Deputy prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai told a news conference on Thursday that the handover had been 鈥榗arefully considered鈥�, and that the Thai government 鈥榟as the same concerns for their safety as everyone else.鈥�
鈥榃e are confident that this group of Uyghurs will not face the problem everyone is concerned about,鈥� he said.
