Rights advocates had said the Uyghurs, a persecuted Muslim minority in China, were “at real risk” of torture, imprisonment or even death if they were returned.

A delegation from the Thai government will visit China this week to check on the welfare of dozens of Uyghur refugees, after their controversial deportation drew global condemnation and US travel sanctions on local officials.

The State Department on Friday announced sanctions on an unknown number of current and former Thai officials for their role in deporting at least 40 Uyghur men to China despite worries that they could be jailed or even face death there.