What changed

B100193/2025

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

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

(2025/2594(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to itsRules previous150(5) resolutionsand on136(4) Thailand,of its Rules of Procedure,

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

A. whereas on 27 February 2025, the Thai authorities violated international law by deporting at least 40 Uyghur refugees to China, where they risk arbitrary detention, torture and serious human rights violations; whereas other safe countries had offered to resettle the Uyghur refugees;

whereas the Government of Thailand has recently deported forty Uyghur refugees to the People`s Republic of China (PRC), while five others continue to remain in Thai custody;

B. whereas prior to their deportation, these individuals were detained in Thai immigration centres for over a decade, where at least five Uyghurs, including minors, reportedly died due to inhumane conditions;

whereas prior to their deportation the aforementioned individuals had been imprisoned in Thailand for eleven years in precarious conditions;

C. whereas Thailand’s lese-majesty provisions, under Article 112 of its Criminal Code, are among the strictest in the world and are not in line with Thailand’s obligations under the ICCPR;

whereas credible reports by UN human rights experts have assessed that these individuals -if returned to the PRC- will most likely face torture, ill-treatment and “irreparable harm”;

D. whereas, since 2020, over 1 960 pro-democracy activists, human rights defenders and journalists, including over 280 minors, have been indicted or condemned for their opinions under repressive laws that curb freedom of expression, including the lese-majesty law, the Sedition Act, the Public Assembly Act and the Computer Crimes Act; whereas prominent activists, including Arnon Nampa, Mongkhon Thirakhot and Anchan Preelert, were sentenced to disproportionately long prison terms for peacefully criticising the monarchy, with some facing up to 50 years’ imprisonment;

whereas under Article 112 of Thailand`s criminal code any criticism of the Monarchy qualifies as lèse-majesté, thus constituting a criminal offense punishable by up to 15 years in prison; whereas the respective provisions remain vague granting Thai authorities wide discretion;

E. whereas the Constitutional Court has dissolved the largest party and 44 of its MPs have been indicted for proposing amendments to the lese-majesty law, facing potential lifetime bans from politics; whereas several MPs, including Piyarat Chongthep, Rakchanok Srinok and Chonthicha Jangrew, are being prosecuted for their political activities and statements;

whereas since 2020, 278 individuals have been charged on the basis of Article 112, notably prominent human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa and pro-democracy activist Mongkhon Thirakhot;

1. Condemns the deportation of Uyghur refugees to China; calls on the Thai authorities to immediately halt any further forced returns of refugees, asylum seekers and political dissidents to countries where their lives are at risk;

whereas the Indo-Pacific region is home to increasingly important political, trade and security partners for the EU; whereas a free, connected and stable Indo-Pacific region based on rules and respect for international law constitutes an essential cornerstone in the EU`s approach to the region;

2. Urges the Thai Government to grant the UNHCR unrestricted access to all detained Uyghur asylum seekers and provide transparent information on their status;

Strongly condemns the unlawful deportation of forty Uyghur refugees to the PRC;

3. Calls on China to respect the fundamental rights of the deported Uyghurs, ensure transparency about their whereabouts, grant the UNHCR access to them and release those detained;

Expresses deep concern for the safety and well-being of the deported Uyghur refugees and calls on the PRC to guarantee their fundamental rights;

4. Calls on Thailand to ratify the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol thereto and to implement a transparent, fair and humane asylum system;

Regrets the Government of Thailand`s refusal to accept any of the asylum offers made by several countries, including the United States, Australia and Canada;

5. Stresses that Thailand is an important EU partner; encourages Thailand to strengthen its institutions in line with democratic principles and international human rights standards; calls on the government to amend or repeal Article 112 and other repressive laws to guarantee the right to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and political participation;

Urges the Government of Thailand to uphold the principle of non-refoulement under international human rights, refugee, humanitarian and customary law;

6. Demands that amnesty be granted to all MPs and activists prosecuted or imprisoned under lese-majesty provisions and other repressive laws;

Calls for the immediate end of all unlawful deportations from Thailand;

7. Calls on the Commission to leverage FTA negotiations to press Thailand to reform repressive laws, particularly the lese-majesty law, release political prisoners, halt the deportation of Uyghur refugees and ratify all core ILO conventions; calls on the Member States to suspend extradition treaties with the PRC;

Urges the PRC government to uphold its commitments and obligations under national and international law and grant the forty individuals fair and humane treatment;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Thai and Chinese authorities.

Stresses the importance for Thailand to pursue a democratic path and strengthen its institutions in line with democratic principles, the rule of law and individual freedom;

Calls on the Government of Thailand to lift all restrictions on the opposition and the media and to refrain from resorting to repressive tactics as arbitrary arrests, intimidation, lèse-majesté charges, and harassment;

Stresses that Thailand continues to be a key actor in the Indo-Pacific region and a crucial interlocutor for the EU, as stressed during the recent visit by the European Parliament`s Delegation for relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and ASEAN to Thailand;

Underscores the importance of close EU-Thailand cooperation across multiple fields, including security and trade;

Reiterates the critical role parliamentary diplomacy shall play in broadening and consolidating EU-Thailand relations;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the VP/HR, the Council, the Commission, the Member States, the United Nations Secretary General, and the Government of the People’s Republic of China, and the Government and Parliament of Thailand.