Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign Condemns Death Sentences Against Uyghur Men in Thailand

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, D.C – June 12, 2026

Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign strongly condemns the death sentences handed down on June 11, 2026, by a Thai court against Uyghur men Bilal Mohammad and Yusuf Mieraili in connection with the 2015 Erawan Shrine bombing in Bangkok. While we express our deepest sympathy for the victims and families affected by this horrific attack, we are extremely concerned by the serious due process concerns that have surrounded this case for more than a decade. Both men maintain their innocence.

Those responsible for the bombing must be held accountable through a fair, transparent and credible judicial process. However, the integrity of these proceedings are questionable. Not only has it taken a long time to reach this verdict and there are procedural irregularities, the defendants have alleged mistreatment.

Bilal Mohammad repeatedly told the court that he was subjected to ill-treatment by Thai authorities in order to extract a confession. He stated that he was denied access to a Uyghur interpreter throughout the investigation and was forced to sign documents written in Thai, a language he does not understand. In October 2025, the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that the defendants’ decade-long detention was “fundamentally arbitrary, discriminatory, and breached international covenants.”

Thailand has experienced increasing political pressure and growing economic and strategic dependence on China, where there is a genocide against Uyghurs. Allegations of coerced confessions and denial of adequate linguistic assistance strike at the very foundation of a fair trial and must be independently investigated.

Arslan Hidayat, Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign team lead, said “The victims of the Erawan Shrine bombing deserve truth and justice, but justice cannot be achieved through a process clouded by allegations of coercion, discrimination and political influence. The international community must demand transparency and due process at every stage of this case.”

We call upon Thai authorities to ensure full transparency while Bilal Mohammad and Yusuf Mieraili pursue their appeals, guarantee them access to qualified interpreters and legal representation, permit independent international monitoring, and thoroughly investigate all allegations of coercion and mistreatment.

Contact: Arslan Hidayat, arslan@justiceforall.org

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