China sentences 12 to death for Xinjiang violence A Chinese court has sentenced 12 people to death for terrorism. They were convicted of conducting attacks that left more than 30 people dead in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in July. The state-run China Central Television on Monday said another 15 people were sentenced to a suspended death sentence. 9 others received life sentences. All are believed to be ethnic Uygurs. State media say the rioters went on a stabbing rampage at local government offices and a police station in Kashgar. Authorities say 37 people, both Han and Uygur, were killed. They say 59 rioters were shot dead at the scene, and 215 others were taken into custody. Many ethnic Uygurs in Xinjiang are complaining that the authorities are tightening their control. Analysts say the severe sentences are designed to stifle any activities that pose a threat to security.
Posted on: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 02:49:08 +0000