The U.S. has imposed visa sanctions on Thai officials responsible for the deportation of 40 Uyghurs back to China, amidst concerns for their safety. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the commitment to resist China's pressure on nations to repatriate Uyghurs facing torture. This action coincided with a European Parliament resolution condemning such deportations and calling for their cessation. The sanctions complicate Thailand's diplomatic standing as it seeks to avoid U.S. tariffs while negotiating a free trade agreement with the EU, against a backdrop of China's growing influence and repression of Uyghurs.
The visa restrictions could limit the ability of former and current Thai officials responsible for, or complicit in, the forced return of Uyghurs to travel to the United States.
We are committed to combating China's efforts to pressure governments to forcibly return Uyghurs and other groups to China, where they are subject to torture and enforced disappearances.
The dual announcements could complicate matters for the Thai government at a tricky time as they try to ward off potential tariffs from the U.S.
Julian Ku stated the visa restriction policy was a pretty dramatic step, as he could not recall this kind of sanction on third-party countries before.
Collection
[
|
...
]