Rights group demands action for detained Uyghurs in Thailand
The People’s Empowerment Foundation raised significant concerns regarding seven Uyghur people currently incarcerated in Thailand. Chalida Tajaroensuk, the chair of the civil society organisation, reported to the Bangkok Post that those detained have been split into two groups.
The first group, consisting of five Uyghurs, was detained after allegedly escaping a Mukdahan detention centre in 2020. They are serving six-year sentences at Klongprem Central Prison in Bangkok. Chalida visited them before the Songkran holiday to assess their condition. The group remains firm in their desire not to be deported to China and has legal representation.
Efforts are underway by Chalida’s organisation to secure resettlement in a third country before their deportation, with only one year left of their sentence. Several embassies have shown interest and requested information for resettlement considerations. Chalida plans to visit the group again next month to discuss their needs for ongoing support.
The second group comprises two Uyghurs held at Bangkok Remand Prison, awaiting trial for their alleged involvement in the 2015 Erawan Shrine bombing.
Their next hearing is scheduled for next month. Judges aim to conclude the case this year; however, the suspects wish for the case to remain open to avoid deportation to China. No embassy has approached Chalida’s group for resettlement discussions, given the terrorism charges against the pair.
According to Chalida, the suspects prefer imprisonment in Thailand over deportation to China, expressing a desire for extended deliberation of their case.
Kannavee Suebsang, a Fair List Party list-MP, is monitoring the situation of the five Uyghurs at Klongprem Central Prison and is willing to collaborate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to aid in their resettlement. However, Kannavee refrained from commenting on the Uyghurs linked to the Erawan Shrine bombing due to ongoing court proceedings, reported Bangkok Post.
Of the 43 Uyghurs previously detained at Suan Phlu Immigration Centre in Bangkok, 40 were deported to China, while three with Kyrgyzstan passports were resettled in Canada.
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