U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio unleashed a blistering rebuke on Thursday, condemning Thailand for forcibly sending at least 40 Uyghurs back to China—a move he warns could doom them to persecution, forced labor, and torture under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
In a sharply worded press statement, Rubio called out Thailand, a longtime U.S. ally, for flouting international human rights commitments and betraying its own legacy of sheltering the vulnerable.
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms Thailand’s forced return of at least 40 Uyghurs to China, where they lack due process rights,” Rubio declared, pointing to the UN Convention Against Torture and the International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance as benchmarks Bangkok’s actions risk violating. “This act runs counter to the Thai people’s longstanding tradition of protection… and is inconsistent with Thailand’s commitment to protect human rights.”
The Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group from China’s Xinjiang region, have faced what the U.S. labels genocide and crimes against humanity at the CCP’s hands—mass internment, forced sterilization, and cultural erasure.
Rubio’s statement pulls no punches, accusing Beijing of orchestrating these atrocities and demanding “full access” to monitor the returned Uyghurs’ fate. “The Thai Government must insist and fully verify continuously that Chinese authorities protect the Uyghurs’ human rights,” he insisted, a tall order given China’s track record.
READ: Jeffrey Epstein Files Set To Drop: AG Bondi Promises Flight Logs And Names Thursday
Thailand’s decision has sparked alarm in Washington, where Rubio—a former Florida senator known for his hawkish stance on China—now helms the State Department under President Donald Trump. The forced repatriation, he warned, sets a dangerous precedent, prompting a broader plea: “We urge all governments in countries where Uyghurs seek protection not to forcibly return ethnic Uyghurs to China.”
Details on the 40-plus Uyghurs—when and how they were sent back—remain murky, but the fallout’s clear: a diplomatic rift with a key Southeast Asian partner and a fresh test for Rubio’s foreign policy muscle.
Thailand’s move, likely bowing to Beijing’s pressure, puts its U.S. ties on edge at a time when countering China’s sway is a Trump administration linchpin. For the Uyghurs caught in this geopolitical tug-of-war, Rubio’s words may be cold comfort— their fate now hinges on a regime the U.S. says is bent on their destruction.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.