The State Department said it was “combating China’s efforts to pressure governments to forcibly return Uyghurs and other groups to China.”

The U.S. State Department has 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.

The United States has restricted visas to current and former Thai officials involved in the return of 40 Uyghurs to China last month, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday.