Washington DC [US], March 1 (ANI): US Representative Christopher Smith, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and co-chair of both the Congressional-Executive Commission on China and the Uyghur Caucus, has blamed Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra for the deportation of Uyghur refugees to China and called on the US to impose sanctions against her.

In the statement, Smith stated, 'The government of Thailand forcibly repatriated 45 Uyghur refugees to Communist China in violation of its obligations under the Convention against Torture. Culpability for this lies directly with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. The United States must sanction her and her family, including via Treasury sanctions.'

'As the Chinese Communist Party will likely subject the renditioned Uyghurs to forced labor, Thailand's complicity in this should also be reflected in Thailand's tier ranking in the Trafficking in Persons report. When coupled with tolerance for sex tourism and backpedaling on enforcing protections for labor trafficking in the fishing sector, the Government of Thailand has forfeited any goodwill generated by its previous efforts at trafficking reform,' stated Smith.

Smith has been in communication with the US State Department, which has noted that the 45 refugees have been sent back involuntarily, amid international condemnation and concerns about the refugees' safety, according to the statement. The contentious deportation has been publicly acknowledged by Deputy Prime Minister/Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayacha and reported in Chinese media.

Earlier, the United States criticized the Thailand government for forcibly sending back 40 Uyghur refugees to China. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the importance of treating the Uyghurs 'with dignity' and ensuring the protection of their rights.

In a post on X, Rubio wrote: 'Thailand forcibly returned a group of Uyghurs to China. As a longstanding ally of Thailand, we are alarmed by this action, which runs afoul of its international obligations.'

'The US condemns this action. We urge the Thai government to ensure and verify that the Uyghurs are treated with dignity and that their rights are protected,' he added.

The situation regarding China's Uyghur population, primarily based in Xinjiang, has drawn significant international attention. Reports indicate widespread human rights abuses, including forced labour, arbitrary detentions in so-called 're-education' camps, and surveillance. (ANI)