Thailand has deported 40 Uyghur asylum seekers to China, ignoring warnings from human rights groups that they will likely face torture and imprisonment if returned. The group of asylum seekers fled China, seeking protection in Thailand, where they were instead arrested in 2014 and detained for over a decade. This is U.N. high commissioner for human rights spokesperson Liz Throssell.

Liz Throssell: “Their deportation violates the principle of non-refoulement for which there is a complete prohibition in cases where there is a real risk of torture, ill-treatment or other irreparable harm upon their return.”

China has been accused of human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims that may amount to crimes against humanity