Human rights advocates say at least some of the eight ethnic minority Uyghurs who remain in Thailand’s custody since authorities deported 40 others to China last month are at risk of the same fate.

The United States has imposed visa restrictions on Thai officials following the repatriation of 40 Uyghurs from Thailand to China on February 27, 2025. The decision, announced by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio,

The United States has imposed visa sanctions on several Thai officials over the surprise deportation of 40 Uyghurs back to China last month, a rare instance of punishment for countries that have repatriated members of the persecuted Muslim minority despite warnings that the Uyghurs might face torture and long-term imprisonment upon their return.