On democracy and human rights in Thailand, notably the lese-majesty law and the deportation of Uyghur refugees

B100191/2025

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 China and Thailand;

having regard to Rule 150(5) of its RoP,

whereas on 27 February 2025, the Thai authorities reportedly deported 48 Uyghur refugees to China,

whereas China’s treatment of ethnic minorities has been widely condemned by the international community and Uyghur refugees are fleeing persecution, mass arbitrary detention, forced labour, and systematic repression in Xinjiang;

whereas the forced return of asylum seekers to a country where they face persecution violates the principle of non-refoulement under international human rights and refugee law;

whereas under Thailands criminal code, criticism of the monarchy in punishable with 3 to 15 years in prison;

whereas Canada and US offered to take the 48 people;

Strongly condemns the deportation of Uyghur refugees and calls on the Thai authorities to immediately halt any further forced returns of Uyghur asylum seekers and refugees;

Calls on the Thailand authorities to provide information on the whereabouts and legal status of the eight remaining Uyghur refugees who have not yet been deported;

Urges the EU to explore diplomatic measures to ensure it complies with international refugee protection obligations;

Expresses deep concern for the safety and well-being of the deported Uyghur refugees and calls on China to guarantee their fundamental rights, ensure transparency regarding their whereabouts, and allow independent observers access to verify their conditions;

Urges the Thai government to fully adhere to the principle of non-refoulement and to establish a transparent, fair, and humane asylum system in cooperation with international agencies;

Calls on EU Member States to offer international protection to Uyghur refugees and to increase global coordination to protect Uyghur refugees at risk of deportation;

Demands that the UNHCR be granted full and unrestricted access to Uyghur asylum seekers in Thailand to assess their protection needs; urges Thailand to collaborate with UNHCR and third countries offering to provide asylum to the remaining Uyghur refugees, once their sentence is completed

Encourages the EU to review its relations with Thailand in light of these human rights violations and to condition closer cooperation on improvements in the protection of refugees and asylum seekers;

Reiterates its call for the PRC to end its systematic repression of Uyghurs and to allow an independent international investigation into human rights abuses in Xinjiang;

Calls for an official statement from the EU denouncing Thailand’s complicity in China’s transnational repression of Uyghurs; Urges the EU and the Member States to adopt sanctions against high-ranking officials and entities involved in human rights violations in China;

Calls on Thailand to revoke the lese majesty laws and to sign and ratify the 1951 Refugee Convention and 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Governments and Parliaments of Thailand and to China, the EC, the EEAS, the UNSG, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.