The Royal Thai Police (RTP) has denied trying to deport a group of 48 Uyghur men to China as alleged by human rights advocates.
The group has reportedly been jailed since 2014 after fleeing from China’s Xinjiang province, with 43 allegedly being held in custody at the Immigration Bureau (IB) headquarters and the other five currently detained in Thai prisons.
Human Rights Watch has issued a statement demanding the government refrain from sending them back to China, where their safety is considered to be at risk.
National Police Chief Pol Gen Kittharath Punpetch said the RTP has not received any report of a plan to deport the Uyghurs, adding the issue needs to be discussed with the National Security Council (NSC).
“Thailand is not a moderator for any legal wrangling. However, [the RTP] is ready to work with any embassies or agencies if they request our assistance,” he said.
