• Two Uyghur men sentenced to death for the 2015 Erawan Shrine bombing in Bangkok.
• The bombing resulted in 20 deaths and over 120 injuries, marking the deadliest attack in Thailand's recent history.
• The trial faced delays and criticism over the police investigation and legal proceedings.

A Thai court has imposed the death penalty on two ethnic Uyghur men, Yusufu Mieraili and Bilal Mohammed, for their involvement in the August 2015 bombing at Bangkok’s Erawan Shrine, which claimed the lives of 20 individuals and injured over 120 others. The attack, recognized as the worst terrorist incident in Thailand's history, prompted significant scrutiny of the judicial process that ensued, which lasted over a decade, according to Al Jazeera, South China Morning Post, and Reuters.

The court found the defendants guilty of premeditated murder, with a judge stating that their actions constituted multiple offenses that warranted the harshest possible penalty. The two men, who have denied the charges, are expected to appeal the verdict within a month, according to their lawyer, as reported by Channel News Asia and BBC.

The bombing occurred during a busy period at the shrine, which is popular with tourists, particularly from China. Among the deceased were visitors from various countries, including Malaysia and Singapore. Notably, security experts believe that the attack was retaliatory, following the controversial deportation of over 100 Uyghurs from Thailand to China, which heightened tensions surrounding the Uyghur community and their plight in Xinjiang, as highlighted by South China Morning Post and Reuters.

The lengthy trial was marred by numerous delays, including issues with securing translators and accusations of human rights violations against the suspects. Critics, including human rights advocates, have raised concerns about the fairness of the legal proceedings, citing numerous irregularities throughout the investigation as detailed in Channel News Asia and BBC.