Thai PM faces human rights dilemma after court approves deportation of activist wanted in Vietnam for deadly riots. Activist Y Quynh Bdap, accused of plotting 2023 riots, risks persecution if sent back. Rights groups urge Thailand to reconsider.
Thailand’s government and new Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra are facing a critical test following a court decision Monday. The judgement authorised the deportation of a wanted activist to Vietnam, where he faces charges in relation to violence and rioting that saw nine people killed in 2023. Vietnam accused the activist of plotting the deadly attack, even though he has lived in Thailand as a United Nations refugee since 2018.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s government faces a test in the coming weeks on human rights following a Thai court’s approval of the extradition of 32-year-old Vietnamese activist Y Quynh Bdap. The decision was handed down by the Bangkok Criminal Court on Monday.
After that, a lawyer for the activist, Ms. Nadthasiri Bergman, placed the ball not just in the government’s court but that of Ms. Paetongtarn.
“The prime minister has the right, if they want to protect human rights, they can do it,” she explained to reporters outside the court. “If he goes back to his country there will be a threat to his life, so the government should respect that evidence.”
Activist arrested in June in Bangkok faces risk of persecution if returned to Vietnam, rights groups warn
In short, rights groups warn he faces severe risks if sent back to Vietnam. Bdap was arrested in Bangkok in June after Vietnam requested his extradition. In the meantime, he is being held at Bangkok Remand Prison.
Bdap is a co-founder of the Montagnards Stand for Justice group. He advocates for the rights of Vietnam’s Montagnard minority, a Christian ethnic group that also inhabits parts of neighbouring Cambodia.
In January 2023, a Vietnamese court sentenced him to 10 years in prison. He was convicted in absentia of organizing anti-government riots in Dak Lak province in June 2023. The riots left nine people dead, including four police officers and two government officials.
Indeed, at the time of the deadly riots, the activist was in Thailand. At the same time, he has been accorded refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) since 2018.
Vietnam claims activist orchestrated deadly riots from Thailand despite his absence during the unrest
Despite his absence during the riots, Vietnam accused him of organizing them from Thailand. Bdap has been living in Thailand since 2018. The Vietnamese government charged him under anti-terrorism laws, which rights groups say suppress dissent. About 100 people were arrested after the riots, and 53 were convicted on terrorism charges.
Bdap has been seeking asylum in Canada. Significantly, he met with Canadian officials in Bangkok just one day before his arrest. However, Canada has not commented on his case.
Bdap’s ethnicity as an Ede places him among the Montagnards, a Christian minority group in Vietnam’s Central Highlands. Montagnards have long faced persecution and discrimination in Vietnam. Many have fled to Cambodia and Thailand, seeking refuge from government mistreatment.
In the meantime, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has expressed grave concerns over Bdap’s safety if returned to Vietnam. “He would be at real risk if returned,” warned Bryony Lau, HRW’s Deputy Asia Director. HRW believes that returning Bdap would violate Thailand’s international legal obligations. The group has urged Thai authorities to release him immediately.
Activist’s lawyer appeals extradition while the PM holds final say on his fate in the coming weeks
Bdap’s lawyer, Ms. Nadthasiri Bergman, has already begun the appeal process. She has 30 days to submit the appeal. Even if the court upholds the extradition order, Thailand’s government has the final say. Prime Minister Paetongtarn can decide whether to send Bdap back or intervene diplomatically. Bergman said the Prime Minister could protect Bdap’s human rights if he chooses.
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The Thai government has 90 days to execute the court’s extradition order. If they fail to do so within that period, Bdap must be released. Indeed, this was emphasised by the court judgement this week. For now, he remains in Bangkok Remand Prison.
Thailand has faced growing criticism for its treatment of foreign dissidents and refugees. Human Rights Watch accuses the Thai government of engaging in “transnational repression.” This term describes governments that help each other repatriate dissidents in exchange for reciprocal political favours.
A recent HRW report detailed how foreign dissidents in Thailand are sent back to their countries. Critics of Thailand’s government, living abroad, have also been forcibly returned. HRW warned that Bdap’s case highlights this disturbing pattern.
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Thailand’s government is under pressure to change this practice, especially as it seeks international recognition. In particular, as a country that respects international rule of law and global human rights principles.
Thailand is currently bidding for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council. Elections for the council will be held this month in New York. If Bdap is deported, Thailand’s human rights record may hurt its chances.
Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, has condemned the extradition. She warned that Thailand would be unfit for the Human Rights Council if it sends Bdap back.
The Montagnards, numbering about 30 ethnic groups, have faced decades of discrimination. They live in Vietnam’s Central Highlands and neighbouring Cambodia.
Vietnam’s Christian Montagnards face religious persecution and struggles under a Communist regime
Many Montagnards are Christians who say the government discriminates against them over land rights and religion. The Vietnamese government denies allegations of abuse, but rights groups report ongoing mistreatment. In response to the 2023 riots, Vietnam arrested many Montagnards. Activists argue these arrests are part of a broader crackdown on ethnic minorities.
Thailand’s own National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also urged the government not to extradite Bdap. Meanwhile, HRW, along with other international rights organisations, has called for his immediate release. They argue that sending him back would expose him to torture, imprisonment, or even death.
The Thai government’s next steps will be closely monitored. International attention is on how Thailand will balance its obligations and diplomatic relationships.
The case raises critical questions about Thailand’s commitment to human rights. Rights groups warn that Bdap’s extradition will harm Thailand’s international standing. If the government proceeds, it may face further scrutiny on the global stage.
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