Chinese dissident deported ahead of PM’s China visit, HRW says
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A Chinese dissident was forcibly returned to China by Thai authorities around July 11-12, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW), days before Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s official visit to Beijing and after what the rights group described as increased pressure from the Chinese government.
Key facts
Sunai Phasuk, senior Thailand adviser at HRW, confirmed to Thai Enquirer that Tan Yixiang, a 49-year-old Catholic and vocal advocate for Tibetan and Uyghur rights, had been deported
The group said Thailand is bound by the principle of non-refoulement under the UN Convention Against Torture and the 2023 Act on Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearances, which prohibit returning people to
HRW also cited previous deportations to China, including the return of 40 Uyghur men in February 2025, whose fate remains unknown, and the forced repatriation of more than 100 Uyghurs in 2015 despite international condemnation
In a statement issued on July 14, HRW warned that four Chinese refugees detained at Bangkok’s Suan Phlu Immigration Detention Center faced possible deportation to China
Summary
Sunai Phasuk, senior Thailand adviser at HRW, confirmed to Thai Enquirer that Tan Yixiang, a 49-year-old Catholic and vocal advocate for Tibetan and Uyghur rights, had been deported. There was no immediate confirmation from Thai authorities or the Chinese government.
In a statement issued on July 14, HRW warned that four Chinese refugees detained at Bangkok’s Suan Phlu Immigration Detention Center faced possible deportation to China. The group said the Chinese government had increased pressure on Thai authorities ahead of Anutin’s July 16-20 visit to China.