Four More Sentenced to Death in China over Ethnic Riots
Back in July, the Beijing government wielded the death sentence threat to put an end to the ethnic riots in the Xinjiang Province.
And they meant it. Today, four more members of the Uighur ethnic group were sentenced to death for their participation in the worst riots in China in decades.
An elderly woman confronts riot police back in July during
the height of the ethnic violence in the Xinjiang Province
(EPA photo)
The Associated Press via The New York Times:
The riots started in this western Turkic-speaking enclave when a few women challenged riot police to have their husbands and sons released from prison. Then it mushroomed into a national crisis that forced President Hu Jintao to cut his G-8 meeting attendance short to face the crisis in Beijing.
Some 200 people died in the ethnic violence, mostly members of the Han ethnic majority. Then the Han population took revenge by attacking members of the Uighur minority.
And they meant it. Today, four more members of the Uighur ethnic group were sentenced to death for their participation in the worst riots in China in decades.
An elderly woman confronts riot police back in July during
the height of the ethnic violence in the Xinjiang Province
(EPA photo)
The Associated Press via The New York Times:
The Intermediate People's Court in Urumqi handed down death sentences Monday to four people for ''extremely serious crimes'' during the riots, said Ma Xinchun, director of the Urumqi government's press office, confirming details of a report by the official Xinhua News Agency.
(…)
Another person was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve -- a penalty usually commuted to life in prison -- while eight others were given sentences of up to life imprisonment, Ma said. Based on their names, all those given death sentences appeared to be Uighurs.
The verdicts bring the number of people who have been sentenced to death for involvement in the riots to about two dozen, including nine who have already been executed.
(…)
Another person was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve -- a penalty usually commuted to life in prison -- while eight others were given sentences of up to life imprisonment, Ma said. Based on their names, all those given death sentences appeared to be Uighurs.
The verdicts bring the number of people who have been sentenced to death for involvement in the riots to about two dozen, including nine who have already been executed.
The riots started in this western Turkic-speaking enclave when a few women challenged riot police to have their husbands and sons released from prison. Then it mushroomed into a national crisis that forced President Hu Jintao to cut his G-8 meeting attendance short to face the crisis in Beijing.
Some 200 people died in the ethnic violence, mostly members of the Han ethnic majority. Then the Han population took revenge by attacking members of the Uighur minority.
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