2 Uyghur Men Sentenced To Death Over Bangkok’s Deadly Erawan Shrine Bombing That Killed 20

A Thai court has sentenced two Uyghur men to death over their roles in the devastating Erawan Shrine bombing in Bangkok, bringing a major chapter of one of Thailand’s deadliest terror attacks closer to an end.

The Bangkok South Criminal Court delivered its verdict on June 11, finding Adem Karadag and Yusufu Mieraili guilty of terrorism-related offences linked to the bombing that killed 20 people and injured more than 160 others in 2015.

Judges ruled that both men were responsible for carrying out the attack and sentenced them to death for premeditated murder, stating there were no grounds for reducing their punishment.

One Defendant Rejects Court Verdict

Following the ruling, Mieraili reportedly shouted inside the courtroom and refused to accept the verdict.

According to local reports, he claimed he was innocent and accused the judicial process of failing to deliver justice.

The sentencing comes almost 11 years after the attack, which shocked Thailand and drew international attention due to the high number of foreign victims.

Bombing Killed Tourists And Locals

The attack occurred on the evening of August 17, 2015, at the popular Erawan Shrine located at the busy Ratchaprasong intersection in central Bangkok.

Investigators said a suspect wearing a yellow shirt was captured on CCTV footage leaving a backpack inside the shrine compound moments before the explosion.

Authorities later determined that the device contained approximately three kilograms of TNT.

The blast killed 20 people and injured around 160 others.

Among those who lost their lives were six Thai nationals and 14 foreign nationals, including citizens from China, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Singapore.

A second explosive device detonated at Sathorn Pier the following day, although no injuries were reported in that incident.

Arrests Made Weeks After Attack

Thai police launched a massive manhunt following the bombing and arrested Karadag less than two weeks later at an apartment in Bangkok’s Nong Chok district.

Mieraili was subsequently detained as investigations expanded to include a wider network of suspects believed to be connected to the attack.

More than 17 individuals were reportedly implicated during the lengthy investigation.

Prosecutors accused the pair of jointly causing the explosion and carrying out an act of terrorism that resulted in multiple deaths and injuries.

Attack Linked To Uyghur Deportation Controversy

Thai authorities have long maintained that the bombing may have been linked to Thailand’s controversial deportation of nearly 100 Uyghur Muslims to China weeks before the attack.

Investigators believe the bombing may have been carried out as retaliation for the deportations, although the case has remained politically sensitive for years.

The Erawan Shrine bombing remains one of the deadliest attacks in modern Thai history and continues to be remembered as a tragic event that affected victims from several countries across Asia.