DHARAMSHALA, September 15: Two Chinese courts in the restive north western region of Xinjiang sentenced four members of the ethnic Uyghur minority to death in connection with a series of mass uprisings in July, Chinese state media reported today.
The men were found guilty of murder, arson and running a terrorist organisation according to a report published on www.tianshannet.com.cn, a news website run by the Xinjiang government.
Two others were jailed for 19 years for their roles in separate incidents in Kashgar and Hotan in July.
The verdicts handed down Wednesday by intermediate courts in the two Silk Road cities have drawn widespread condemnation from overseas rights group.
The World Uyghur Congress accused the courts of not following proper judicial procedure, saying that the men were forced to admit the charges.
“The men were beaten and deprived of sleep and told their families would suffer if they did not admit guilt during the trial,” the exile group said.
Rebiya Kadeer, president of the World Uyghur Congress, strongly denounced the sentencing calling the verdict “motivated by hatred and politics.”
"Any country in which the court and press are not free makes it impossible to expect a fair and just verdict," Kadeer said in a statement Wednesday.
"What should be investigated are the unjust policies and who should have been brought to justice were the people who wrote these policies and carry them out ... Instead, they became the judges of the people," added Kadeer.
Source: Phayul.com
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