The United States and several other countries extended multiple offers to Thailand to resettle over 40 Uyghur men before their deportation to China, where rights organizations fear they may face torture and mistreatment, according to a statement from the U.S. State Department on Friday.
These 40 Uyghur men had been held in Thailand since 2014 after escaping persecution in China's Xinjiang region. Last week, they were discreetly moved from a detention center in Bangkok and sent back to China.
The U.S. State Department emphasized its efforts to prevent this outcome, highlighting consistent offers to resettle the Uyghurs in various countries, including the United States. This was in response to inquiries from The Associated Press.
Contrarily, earlier this week, Thailand's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Russ Jalichandra, claimed that no serious resettlement offers had been made. He suggested that any third country truly interested in taking the men should have negotiated with China for approval.
The State Department criticized Thailand's decision as a breach of its commitment to the United Nations Convention Against Torture, stressing that offers of asylum do not require China's consent.
"The responsibility to protect individuals at risk of persecution or torture from being returned to their persecutors is non-negotiable," asserted the State Department. They also mentioned involvement from "a number of allies and partners" in the resettlement efforts but did not divulge additional details.
Russ indicated that Thailand's decision to return the Uyghurs to China might have been driven by concerns over potential retaliation from China if they were granted asylum elsewhere.
"The repercussions for Thailand if they sent the Uyghurs to a third country would have been substantial," he stated. "It was not a realistic option." U.S. officials and human rights groups report that China has detained over a million people, predominantly Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities, in camps designed for forced assimilation and indoctrination in Xinjiang.
In these facilities, individuals reportedly face torture, sterilization, and forced labor. However, China denies these accusations, maintaining that its Xinjiang policies aim to foster economic growth and eliminate extremism. It also rebuffs any foreign criticism of its domestic policies.