Further updated: 112 and Uyghurs I

As reported by news outlets like Prachatai, on 14 March 2025, the European Parliament has adopted a resolution condemning Thailand’s deportation of Uyghur refugees to China and Thailand’s use of the lese majeste law. European parliamentarians called on the European Commission to “leverage free trade agreement negotiations to demand reform.”

The motion proposed was:

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on democracy and human rights in Thailand, notably the lese-majesty law and the deportation of Uyghur refugees

11.3.2025 – (2025/2594(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 150 of the Rules of Procedure

Adam Bielan, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Assita Kanko, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Jadwiga Wiśniewska
on behalf of the ECR Group

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on democracy and human rights in Thailand, notably the lese-majesty law and the deportation of Uyghur refugees

(2025/2594(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to its previous resolutions on Thailand and the People’s Republic of China (PRC),

–  having regard to Rule 150 (5) of its Rules of Procedure,

whereas the Thai lèse-majesté law, outlined in Article 112 of  Thailand’s Criminal Code, prohibits defamation, insult, or threats against the Thai monarchy and makes criticism of the monarchy punishable by up to 15 years in prison;

whereas the law is giving wide discretion to the authorities and the courts to define the offence broadly and has led to the detention, prosecution and punishment of over 270 persons since 2020;

whereas on 27 February 2025, in response to a request from the Chinese government, Thailand deported at least 40 Uyghur detainees to China’s Xinjiang region; whereas these individuals had been held in Thai detention facilities for over a decade after fleeing the PRC in 2014;

whereas prior to the deportation, Uyghur detainees in Thailand’s IDCs have also faced seriously inadequate and inhumane conditions, including severe overcrowding, poor ventilation, inadequate food, lack of access to medical care and other basic necessities, and the denial of other rights; whereas between 2014 and 2023 at least five Uyghurs died in custody;

whereas legitimate concerns exist that the individuals will face a real risk of grave human rights violations upon return in Xinjiang;

***

Expresses its concern about the strict implementation and wide application of the Thai lèse-majesté law; encourages the Thai authorities to amend Article 112 of the Thai Criminal Code in order to bring it in line with international standards, particularly by removing criminal penalties and preventing anyone from being able to file lèse-majesté complaints against other individuals;

Calls on the Thai government to release political prisoners and activists detained as a consequence of exercising their freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly, including those with lèse-majesté charges; calls on the authorities to guarantee the defendants’ rights to a fair trial, due process, public hearing, and the right to bail;

Deeply regrets the deportation by Thailand of the group of at least 40 Uyghurs to the PRC;

Urges the Chinese government to abide by its obligations under national law, including its own Constitution, and international law, to respect and protect the human rights of the Uyghurs returned to the PRC;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Parliaments and Governments of Thailand and the PRC.

Update 1: Quite a few related stories deserve mention. The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has banned travel to the US by unnamed Thai officials involved in the repatriation of the Uyghurs. As we said in an earlier post:

Presumably poking the United States and Trump and Rubio is a considered response from the regime in Bangkok as Rubio had previously asked Thailand to re-consider this deportation. As CNN reported:

Among the prominent voices adding pressure on Thailand [when the threat to deport first became known] was US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who told his Senate confirmation hearing ahead of being sworn in that he would lobby Bangkok against deporting the Uyghur men.

Following the EU slap, Thaksin Shinawatra could no longer resist and shot off a defense of the deportation that included known falsehoods regarding other countries and their offers of asylum.

China also chimed in, declaring all the the returnees were safe and happy.

The Thai media is generally ignoring the lese majeste aspects of the condemnation.

Update 2: The Bangkok Post has a story that the Thai government has “reiterated its defence of last month’s repatriation of 40 Uyghurs back to China, saying the action was in full compliance with humanitarian principles.”