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Activists slam Thailand’s repatriation of Uighurs to China

A worker inspects damage at the Thai consulate in Istanbul, Thursday, July 9, 2015. A group of protesters stormed the consulate overnight, smashing windows and breaking in to the offices, where they destroyed pictures and furniture and hurled files out into the yard, to denounce Thailand’s decision to deport 109 ethnic Uighur migrants back to China. Turkey has cultural ties to the minority Muslim Uighurs and pro-Uighur groups fear the 109 face persecution by the Chinese government. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
A worker inspects damage at the Thai consulate in Istanbul, Thursday, July 9, 2015. A group of protesters stormed the consulate overnight, smashing windows and breaking in to the offices, where they destroyed pictures and furniture and hurled files out into the yard, to denounce Thailand’s decision to deport 109 ethnic Uighur migrants back to China. Turkey has cultural ties to the minority Muslim Uighurs and pro-Uighur groups fear the 109 face persecution by the Chinese government. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) A worker inspects damage at the Thai consulate in Istanbul, Thursday, July 9, 2015. A group of protesters stormed the consulate overnight, smashing windows and breaking in to the offices, where they destroyed pictures and furniture and hurled files out into the yard, to denounce Thailand’s decision to deport 109 ethnic Uighur migrants back to China. Turkey has cultural ties to the minority Muslim Uighurs and pro-Uighur groups fear the 109 face persecution by the Chinese government. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

By Associated Press 4 min read

BANGKOK (AP) – Thailand sent back to China more than 100 ethnic Uighur refugees on Thursday, drawing harsh criticism from the U.N. refugee agency and human rights groups over concerns that they face persecution by the Chinese government.

Protesters in Turkey, which accepted an earlier batch of Uighur refugees from Thailand, ransacked the Thai Consulate in Istanbul overnight. Police in the capital, Ankara, used pepper spray to push back a group of Uighur protesters who tried to break through a barricade outside the Chinese Embassy.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry condemned Thailand, saying the deportation violated international humanitarian laws and came despite “numerous initiatives” by Turkey to prevent their repatriation. It said Turkey will continue to monitor their fate.

Thai deputy government spokesman Maj. Gen. Verachon Sukhonthapatipak said Thailand had assurances from Chinese authorities about the safety of 109 Uighurs. However, in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China would take action against those suspected of breaking the law.

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said that as a third country, the matter was not Thailand’s problem, and that the place they were sent to – he did not name China – would take care of it according to its justice system.