ABOVE: Jiang Yefei
The UN’s refugee body is furious at the Thai government for kicking out five Chinese nationals, including two dissidents.
A democracy activist in Bangkok told Radio Free Asia that veteran dissidents Dong Guangping and Jiang Hefei had been deported to China last Friday along with three other Chinese given refugee status by the UN.
The UNHCR said it was “deeply concerned” by the repatriation of the men, who were supposed to be resettled outside Thailand and China shortly, the Guardian reported.
“This action by Thailand is clearly a serious disappointment, and underscores the longstanding gap in Thai domestic law concerning ensuring appropriate treatment of persons with international protection needs,” the agency said.
Dong and his family had escaped China in September after being jailed and secretly detained for subversion. Jiang had been in Thailand since 2008 after being forced to flee the country when he criticised the Chinese Communist Party for their handling of the Sichuan earthquake, according to Radio Free Asia.
Fears have also been raised over the fate of Gui Minhai, a Hong Kong-based book publisher who went missing from his holiday home in Pattaya last month.
His three colleagues at Sage Communications, known for publishing scandalous novels on the private lives of Chinese leaders, are also missing.
Related:
4 missing from Hong Kong publisher known for its scandalous books on Chinese officials
Deported Uighurs are doing great, official says
China protests condemnation of Thailand’s Uighur deportations
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