The government of Thailand must immediately halt the possible transfer of 48 Uyghurs to the People’s Republic of China, United Nations experts said on Tuesday, warning that the group was at real risk of torture or other cruel,

The family was detained in Thailand in 2014 after fleeing increasing repression in their hometown in China's Xinjiang province. She and the children were allowed to leave Thailand a year later. But her husband remained in detention, along with 47 other Uyghur men. Niluper – not her real name – now fears she and her children may never see him again.

Dozens of men from the ethnic minority sought escape from repression in China a decade ago, but have been detained in Thailand ever since.

A group of Uyghurs who were detained in Thailand over a decade ago say that the Thai government is preparing to deport them to China, alarming activists who say the men are at risk of abuse and torture if they are sent back.

The Trump administration’s pick to become the top U.S. diplomat on Wednesday said he would lobby Thailand against deporting 48 Uyghurs to China where they could face persecution. The issue came up at Republican Sen. Marco Rubio’s Senate confirmation hearing on his nomination for the post of U.S. secretary of state.

"Thailand is a very strong U.S. partner, a strong historical ally," Rubio said during his Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday. "That is an area where I think diplomacy could really achieve results because of how important that relationship is and how close it is.

The experts’ statement comes less than a week after Republican Sen. Marco Rubio said he would lobby Thailand against deporting the 48 Uyghurs to China during a hearing on his nomination for the post of U.S. secretary of state, which he was confirmed for on Monday.