What changed

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

B100192/2025

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

(2025/2594(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to RulesRule 150(5) and 136(4) 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;

a) whereas since 2020 over 1.960 pro-democracy activists, human rights defenders, and journalists, including more than 280 children, were indicted or condemned for their opinionsunder the lèse-majesté law and other repressive laws used to curb freedom of expression, such asthe Sedition Law, the Public Assembly Act and the Computer Crimes Act;

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;

b) whereas several human rights defenders, including Arnon Nampa, Anchan Preelert and Mongkhon Thirakot, have been sentenced to up to 50 years in prison for expressing their views or sharing posts on social media about the monarchy;

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;

c) whereas the Constitutional Court dissolved the largest party (Move Forward Partyand 44 of its MPs are under investigation for proposing amendments to the lèse-majesté law, facing potential lifetime bans from politics;

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;

d) whereas several MPs, including Piyarat Chongthep, Rakchanok Srinok, Chonthicha Jangrew face ongoing prosecutions under the lèse-majesté law for their political activities and statements;

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;

e) whereas in February 2025 Thai authorities forcibly returned 40 Uyghur asylum seekers to China, raising concerns about their safety due to reports of arbitrary detention and mistreatment; whereas they had spent 11 years in Thai immigration detention,centreswhere at least five Uyghur detainees, including minors, reportedly died due to very poor conditions and inadequate medical care; whereas other Uyghur refugees are still imprisoned, including Bilal Mohammed and Yusufu Mieraili, who faced due process violations in their trials since 2015;

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;

f) whereas Thailand’s deportation of Uyghur refugees, arbitrary detention and lack of fair trial rights violate its international obligations under the non-refoulement principle and the Convention against Torture and the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act;

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

g) whereas these violations represent an obstacle to the ongoing EU -Thailand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, whose outcome is conditioned on economic and political criteria, including the respect for democracy and human rights;

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;

1. Calls on Thailand to consolidate its progress towards democracy and political stability, uphold fundamental freedoms and human 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;

2. Urges the Thai Government to amend or repeal the lèse-majesté law, to uphold fundamental freedoms, to grant amnesty and release all those detained under the lèse-majesté law, and dismiss politically motivated charges against parliamentarians, activists and journalists;

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;

3. Calls on Thailand to uphold human rights and adhere to its international obligations, particularly on refugee protection, against torture and enforced disappearance;

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

4. Condemns the deportation of Uyghur refugees to China and calls on the Thai Government to provide information on the situation of the Uyghur refugees still detained, to halt the deportation of refugees and asylum seekers to countries where they risk torture or other serious violations, to grant unfettered access to the UNCHR and to ratify the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol;

7.5. Calls on the Commission to leveragecondition the FTA negotiations to press Thailand toon reformreforming repressive laws, particularly the lese-majestylèse-majesté law, releasereleasing all political prisoners, halthalting the deportation of Uyghur refugeesrefugees, and ratifyratifying all core ILO conventions; calls on the Member States to suspend extradition treaties with the PRC;

8.6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Thai andall Chineserelevant authorities.parties.