Thailand Says China Must File Formal Request to Extradite Two Detained Uyghur Men

Thailand stated that China must submit a formal extradition request if it wishes to have two Uyghur men returned. National Security Council head Chaipruak Doungprapat said his agency will not make a deportation decision directly, noting the matter will go through the courts to allow the men to defend themselves.

Court Process and Detention

If the court rules in their favor, the men could be sent to another country for resettlement, while an unfavorable ruling would lead to extradition under a treaty. The two men, aged 26 and 35, have been held in Thailand for over a decade after being detained in 2014 near the Thai-Malaysia border among a group of more than 300 Uyghurs fleeing China. They were released from prison in late October and are currently held at the Suan Plu immigration detention centre in Bangkok.

Reactions and Concerns

Human rights activists and Thai politicians raised concerns that the men might be sent back imminently, following Thailand's deportation of 40 Uyghur men to China in February 2025. In letters shared last week, the two men pleaded not to be sent back and stated they are not terrorists. Opposition lawmaker Sasinan Thamnithinan stated that Thailand must not return anyone to a country where they could face torture or inhumane treatment. Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China and Thailand cooperate on combating cross-border crimes and illegal immigration according to laws and international practice, but did not comment on whether an extradition request was sent.

Context

Uyghurs are a Turkic, majority Muslim ethnic group native to Xinjiang in China's northwest. Thailand previously deported 109 detained Uyghurs to China in 2015 against their will, drawing international backlash, and has faced long-standing diplomatic tension over how to handle the remaining individuals from the 2014 group.