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 Department of State announced Friday that it imposed visa restrictions on Thai officials involved in the forced return of

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

Foreign officials who enable the forced return of Uyghurs and other ethnic or religious groups to China face visa restrictions in the United States, Sec. of State Marco Rubio announced Friday.