Two Uyghur men currently detained in Thailand say they face imminent deportation to China, where activists fear they would be subjected to severe repression and abuse.
The Guardian reported that one of the men, whose name is withheld for security reasons, wrote to his girlfriend—Marzeyya Kasem—in January 2026 stating he wanted to go 'anywhere else but China' and described being sent back as 'like a slave'. The letter was shared with a Thai human rights group.
Cases of Past Deportations
Last year, Thai authorities forcibly deported 40 Uyghur men from Thailand to China despite appeals by the individuals themselves and international bodies including the United Nations. The US and Canada reportedly offered resettlement options, but Bangkok appeared reluctant to challenge Beijing's position.
Since their apprehension in 2014 near Malaysia’s border after fleeing China, more than 200 Uyghurs have been detained. Women and children were released to Turkey; all male detainees have since been deported in batches to China.
Legal Basis for Current Case
The two men currently at risk of deportation are serving seven-year prison sentences related to an attempted escape from immigration detention in January 2020. They pleaded their case directly with Thailand’s National Human Rights Commission on Wednesday.
Chaipruak Doungprapat, chief of Thailand's national security council, told reporters that the men—alongside three other Uyghur individuals still imprisoned in Thailand—have arrest warrants outstanding in China.
Critics question whether these warrants are credible given that one man was a minor when he fled China in 2014. Kasem asked: 'If they are really wanted for a crime in China, why didn’t China immediately issue an Interpol red notice upon detention?'
Official Responses and Context
A spokesperson from China’s foreign affairs ministry stated that cooperation between China and Thailand on combating cross-border illegal activities is consistent with national laws, international law, and global practices.
The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment directly on the current case or any potential deportation proceedings.
Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, called for immediate action to allow these men to be resettled in safe third countries. She noted: 'Previous Thai governments kept Uyghurs in inhumane detention for years before complying with Beijing's demands to send them to China, where they were forcibly disappeared.'
The United Nations has not confirmed the whereabouts of those deported last year; their status remains unknown as of this reporting.