January 10, 2025 10:15 am (IST)

Make this your homepage

Foreign

8 labourers still trapped in Assam's flooded mine even after 3 days of rescue ops | SC refuses to hear petitions seeking review of its same-sex marriage judgement, says there is 'no error' | 'They should wind up the alliance': Omar Abdullah on AAP-Congress fight over Delhi elections | Pune woman killed by her colleague in full public view for not paying back his money, no one intervenes | Los Angeles wildfire leaves 5 dead, forces 1 lakh including celebs to flee, Hollywood hills ablazed | PM Modi condoles death of six people in Tirupati stampede incident | Days after condemning Pak airstrikes, India in a first engages with Afghanistan's Taliban regime | 6 dead in stampede near Tirupati temple during token distribution to offer prayers | Prominent journalist-film producer Pritish Nandy dies of cardiac arrest at 73 | Thousands, including Hollywood stars, flee Los Angeles upscale neighbourhood as wildfire engulfs homes

UN agency dismayed as Thailand deports Laotian refugee at risk of mistreatment

India Blooms News Service | | Jul 09, 2014, at 07:05 am

#Thailand deports Laotian refugee UN # Thailand deports Laotian refugee

New York, July 9 (IBNS) The United Nations refugee agency on Tuesday spoke out against the deportation of a Laotian man from Thailand back to his homeland, where he could face harsh treatment amounting to persecution.

According to information confirmed this week by the Thai authorities, the deportation of the former Lao Hmong leader took place on 13 June, the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) told reporters in Geneva.

The agency is “dismayed” by Thailand’s action, Adrian Edwards said, noting that deportation goes against the principle of non-refoulement – or no forced return – enshrined in international customary law.

“This principle is binding on all States and precludes them from sending a refugee to a country where their life or freedom would be threatened,” said Edwards.

UNHCR had urged the Thai Government not to send the man back since his detention in March 2013. Given his high profile, the agency has serious concerns over the risks to him now that he has been returned to Laos.

“UNHCR appeals to the Thai authorities to uphold their responsibilities under international law and ensure full respect for the rights of people in need of international protection,” Edwards stated.

The agency noted that Thailand continues to generously host more than 128,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, the vast majority of them living in nine temporary shelters/camps along the border with Myanmar.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.