UN Urge Thailand Not To Deport Uyghurs To China

International pressure is on Thailan, including from the new US administration over the fate of dozens of Uyghur men held in detention for more than a decade, following reports the Thai government planned to deport the group to China.

United Nations experts on Tuesday urged Thailand to “immediately halt the possible transfer,” warning the men were at “real risk of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment if they are returned.”

Concerns for the 48 men, who have been detained in Bangkok since 2014, are growing after a Uyghur activist shared a voice note from one of the detainees, who said the men had been on hunger strike since January 10 in a desperate protest against deportation.

Arslan Hidayat, an activist working with Justice for All’s Save Uyghur campaign, told CNN he understands the men remained on hunger strike as of Tuesday.

“We are desperately seeking help from those living in the free world,” the detainee said in a voice note that Hidayat published to Instagram. “You all know what will happen to us if we are sent back to China. This is our plea for help from your 48 brothers in Thailand.”

The 48 men were arrested by Thai authorities 11 years ago after crossing the border to Thailand in an attempt to escape persecution in China. They were part of a larger group of about 350 people detained at the time, some of whom were minors, according to previous reports from UN experts, rights groups, and Uyghur campaigners.

Five Uyghur detainees, including a newborn and a 3-year-old, have died in detention, the reports said.

Human rights groups and campaigners say that in the years since, the men have been held in “in life-threatening conditions” without access to lawyers, family members or UN representatives. Human Rights Watch said the men were living in “squalid conditions with poor hygiene and inadequate medical care.”

“We are informed that 23 of the 48 individuals suffer from serious health conditions, including diabetes, kidney dysfunction, paralysis of the lower body, skin diseases, gastrointestinal illnesses, and heart and lung conditions,” the eight UN experts said Tuesday. They include the UN special rapporteurs on torture and on migrants’ human rights, and other independent human rights experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council.

“It is essential they be provided with the necessary and appropriate medical care,” the UN experts added.

Fears the 48 would be imminently transferred to Chinese custody arose on January 8 when Thai authorities reportedly gave the detainees “voluntary return” documents to sign, according to the Save Uyghur campaign. Detainees told the group their photos were taken and reported an increase in threats of deportation from officials in the immigration detention center.

Thai officials have denied plans to deport the Uyghurs, according to local media. CNN has reached out to Thai police and the country’s defense minister for comment.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday: “The matter involves judicial cooperation between two sovereign states.”

UN experts should abide by the principle of the UN charter and “refrain from interfering with the judicial sovereignty of the member states … rather than making irresponsible remarks,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press briefing.

CNN/Ejiofor Ezeifeoma