Thailand Foreign Correspondents' Club Urges Against Deportation of Bai Zhaodong, Fears Chinese Persecution

(Central News Agency reporter Li Zongxian, Bangkok, 17th) The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand (FCCT) issued a statement today calling on the Thai government not to deport detained Chinese investigative journalist Bai Zhaodong to China and to disclose the conditions of his detention.

The statement指出 that Bai Zhaodong is being pursued for exposing corruption among Chinese officials, and if deported, he faces risks of arbitrary detention, torture, and other forms of political persecution.

FCCT stated that Bai Zhaodong formerly worked as an investigative journalist for the magazine 'Caijing,' left China in 2023, and was issued an arrest warrant by Chinese authorities in 2024 on suspicion of 'extortion.'

Citing human rights groups, the statement alleges the charges are politically motivated. Bai is currently held at an immigration detention center in Bangkok. Friends report that he was out of contact for months and, during a single video call with the outside world, appeared visibly thinner and under extreme stress.

FCCT urges the Thai government to disclose Bai Zhaodong's detention conditions and refrain from extraditing or deporting him to China, given serious concerns about his treatment upon return. It notes that China consistently ranks near the bottom in global press freedom indices and frequently imprisons journalists on fabricated charges.

International human rights organizations including Human Rights Watch (HRW), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and Safeguard Defenders have recently joined in urging Thailand not to deport Bai Zhaodong, warning that if returned to China, he could face political persecution, enforced disappearance, torture, and other severe human rights violations. The Central News Agency has requested a response from the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs but has not yet received a reply.

On the 16th, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a written statement to Reuters, stating that China has requested Thailand's extradition of Bai Zhaodong and demanded his 'prompt handover.' China claims Bai is suspected of bribery and extortion.

The statement reads, 'The Chinese government legally protects citizens' freedom of speech, and the achievements of China's journalism industry are evident to all.' (Editor: Tang Shengyang) 1150717