A strong reaction from the top U.S. diplomat. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday
condemning Thailand returning 40 members of the Uyghur ethnic group to China,
where they have faced what the U.S. has formally called genocide.
The Uyghurs are a Muslim minority group living in China's western Xinjiang region.
The U.S. says Beijing is committing genocide against the Uyghurs
through mass detention and forced sterilization.
In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. condemns
Thailand's repatriation in the strongest possible terms,
adding the U.S. is alarmed by the country's action as a long-standing ally.
The U.N. Human Rights Office also condemned the move,
calling it a clear violation of international human rights laws.
The Uyghurs held in Thailand were part of a group of 300 who were arrested in 2014 and fled China.
Thailand is a top destination for people looking to escape persecution inside China.
That's including following Gong practitioners,
a faith group that's been brutally persecuted in China since 1999.
Chinese authorities often refuse to issue passports for members of faith groups.
Risking their lives, some have resorted to fleeing to Thailand,
applying for asylum there from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,
and then waiting for a third country to receive them.
