What changed

B100174/2025

B100194/2025

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

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Thailand and onthe UyghursPeople’s inRepublic China,of China (PRC),

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

whereas Thailand'sthe Thai lèse-majesté provisionslaw, underoutlined in Article 112 of theThailand’s Criminal CodeCode, areprohibits amongdefamation, theinsult, strictestor inthreats against the worldThai andmonarchy notand inmakes linecriticism withof the country’s obligations undermonarchy thepunishable Internationalby Covenantup onto Civil15 andyears Politicalin Rights;prison;

whereas in February 2025, Thailand secretly deported 40 Uyghurs to China following 10 years of detention in inhumane conditions;

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;

Strongly condemns that Thailand’s draconian lèse-majesté laws continue to be used to stifle dissent, legitimate political discussions and persecute human rights and democracy defenders, civil society activists, journalists, others and even children;

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;

Urges Thailand to promptly release and drop charges against all political prisoners and activists detained as a consequence of exercising their freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly, including those charged with lèse-majesté, including Arnon Nampa, co-founder of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR);

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;

Urges the Thai authorities to repeal its lèse-majesté provisions, including the outrageously disproportionate punishments;

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

Condemns the deportation by Thailand of the group of 40 Uyghurs to China, where they could face torture, forced disappearance, arbitrary detention, and long-term imprisonment, in breach of the principle of non-refoulement and Thailand’s obligations under national and international law as a member of the Human Rights Council;

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Regrets that, despite offers from safe third countries to host the Uyghurs, Thai authorities yielded to Chinese pressure and carried out the forced returns;

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;

Urges authorities to immediately put a halt to all deportations of Uyghurs, as well as Rohingya, political dissidents from Laos, Burma and Cambodia, and other asylum seekers, who face heightened risks at their countries of origin and to ensure their protection and fair asylum procedures guaranteed under international human rights law;

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;

Reiterates its calls urging Thailand to sign and ratify the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 protocol;

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

Urges China to allow the OHCHR and other international observers independent and unhindered access to XUAR and to the group of forcibly returned men to enquire about their safety;

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;

Urges the Chinese Government to put an immediate end to the practice of arbitrary detention without charge, trial or conviction for a criminal offence of members of the Uyghur and other Muslim minorities, to close all detention and re-education centres, and to immediately and unconditionally release those detained, including the 40 deported Uyghurs, Gulshan Abbas and Sakarov Prize winner Ilham Tohti, and to ensure that until then they have access to family, lawyers of their choice and adequate healthcare;

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

Urges Member States to address the transnational repression of Chinese dissidents and Uyghurs on their territory, to prosecute individuals responsible and to suspend extradition treaties with the PRC;

Reiterates its calls on the EU Council to adopt targeted sanctions against all officials responsible for Beijing’s crimes against humanity and other serious human rights abuses;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to all relevant parties;