The United States has announced sanctions against Thai officials involved in the deportation of 40 Uyghurs back to China. These individuals, who belong to a persecuted Muslim minority group, had been detained in Thailand for nearly a decade.

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