The U.S. State Department has announced sanctions on an unknown number of current and former Thai officials for their role in deporting at least 40 Uyghur men to China despite worries that they could be jailed or even face death there.

The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has expressed its appreciation for the recent sanctions imposed by the US State Department on Thai officials involved in the deportation of Uyghur refugees to China. In a statement shared on the social media platform X,

The U.S. State Department has imposed visa sanctions on an unspecified number of current and former Thai officials for their role in last month’s deportation of 40 Uyghur asylum seekers to China.