The United States has announced a new visa restriction policy targeting foreign government officials involved in the forced return of Uyghurs and other vulnerable ethnic or religious groups to China.

The United States has launched a visa restriction policy targeting both current and former foreign officials involved in the forced repatriation of Uyghurs and other ethnic groups to China, starting with Thai government officials.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions against officials from Thailand, a U.S. ally, for their role in deporting at least 40 Uyghurs to China, where Washington says the members of the Muslim group will face persecution.

Canada and the United States offered to resettle 48 ethnic Uyghurs held in detention in Thailand over the past decade, sources told Reuters, but Bangkok took no action for fear of upsetting China, where they were covertly deported last week.

The United States has announced a new visa restriction policy targeting foreign government officials involved in the forced return of Uyghurs and other vulnerable ethnic or religious groups to China.

Rubio says visa restrictions imposed on current, former Thai officials linked to deportation of 40 Uyghurs from Thailand to China on Feb. 27 - Anadolu Ajansı

The US has imposed visa restrictions on current and former Thai officials who were involved in the forced repatriation of Uyghur Muslims, as part of a new policy to support groups subject to torture in China.