BANGKOK – Two ethnic Uyghur men from China’s northwestern Xinjiang region received death sentences Thursday from a Thai court for their involvement in a deadly 2015 bombing at a Bangkok shrine that claimed 20 lives, court records show.
The blast took place at the Erawan Shrine in central Bangkok, a location frequented by international visitors. Beyond the fatalities, the attack wounded 120 individuals. Among those who died, five were from mainland China and two from Hong Kong.
According to the court’s written decision, “The actions of both defendants constitute multiple separate offenses,” with the death penalty stemming from convictions on premeditated murder charges.
Attorney Choochat Kanpai, representing one of the convicted men, informed reporters that both defendants plan to file appeals within the next month.
While no organization took credit for the attack, security analysts believe it served as payback for Thailand’s forced return of over 100 Uyghurs to China the month before the bombing occurred.
Members of the Uyghur community, predominantly Muslim, report leaving China’s northwestern Xinjiang region to escape what they describe as persecution. Chinese officials dispute these allegations.
Beijing has drawn international condemnation over what critics view as harsh limitations on religious and cultural practices in Xinjiang, home to most of the Uyghur population.
Both men have maintained their innocence throughout the proceedings.
The legal process stretched over more than a decade before reaching trial, as prosecutors worked to gather testimony from hundreds of witnesses. Officials also encountered difficulties securing proper translation services for the defendants.
In the previous year, Thailand sent another 40 Uyghurs back to China, ignoring appeals from United Nations human rights officials who warned the individuals faced potential torture, mistreatment and “irreparable harm” upon their return.
