A group of 48 ethnic minority Muslims who fled Chinese persecution have been held in Thailand for nearly 11 years

Summary

Forty-eight Uyghurs, an ethnic Muslim minority fleeing persecution in China, have been detained in Thailand for nearly 11 years and are now staging a hunger strike.

They are protesting their potential deportation to China, where they fear imprisonment or execution.

Advocates report the detainees suffer from chronic illnesses due to cramped, unsanitary conditions.

The protest highlights ongoing human rights concerns over China’s treatment of Uyghurs and the risks faced by those forcibly returned.