24/12/2009
File photo shows a large group of Han Chinese people carrying sticks and shovels in Urumqi, Xinjiang province on July 7 amid unrest which flared in the region. Five more people have been sentenced to death over ethnic violence in the troubled region, an official has said, as Beijing's human rights record comes under a harsh new spotlight. (AFP/File/Peter Parks) BEIJING (AFP) – Five more people have been sentenced to death over ethnic violence in July in China's Xinjiang region, an official said Thursday, as Beijing's human rights record comes under a harsh new spotlight.
The sentences bring to 22 the number of people condemned to die or executed over the unrest in the Xinjiang capital Urumqi, which pitted mainly Muslim Uighurs against China's Han ethnic majority and left nearly 200 dead.
The first executions last month of nine people for their roles in the violence drew sharp criticism from the United States, the European Union and rights groups concerned that the accused had not been guaranteed due process.
Eight others were sentenced to death earlier this month.
"On Wednesday, 22 people were tried in five cases with five people being sentenced to death and five others sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve," Ma Xinchun, spokesman for the Urumqi city government told AFP.
A death sentence with a two-year reprieve is often commuted to life in prison if the defendant is deemed to exhibit good behaviour.
"Eight others were given life in prison and the other four received sentences of 10 years or more," Ma said. Related article: China slams 'interference' in dissident case
The spokesman refused to give other details, such as the names and ethnicity of the convicted or their crimes.
During the initial eruption of violence on July 5, Uighurs attacked Han Chinese, but in subsequent days mobs of Han roamed the streets seeking revenge on the minorities, who have long complained of repression under Chinese rule.
According to official figures, more than 1,600 people were injured in the ethnic violence, the worst seen in China in decades.
Uighurs say the violence was initially triggered when police cracked down harshly on peaceful demonstrations in Urumqi that were held in protest of the beating deaths of two Uighur migrant workers at a factory in southern China.
China says it faces a serious separatist threat in Xinjiang. But exiled Uighurs say Beijing exaggerates the threat to justify harsh controls in the strategic western region, which is rich in energy reserves.
Based on names provided in state media reports, most of those sentenced to death and executed before Wednesday's sentencings have been Uighurs.
In recent weeks, Chinese police have been rounding up suspects that fled Urumqi after the unrest, with the government reporting earlier this month that 94 fugitives had been brought into custody after fleeing.
On Saturday, Cambodia handed over to China another 20 Uighurs who had sought political refuge in the Southeast Asian nation following the unrest, prompting a firestorm of criticism from the West amid fears they could face mistreatment.
Washington said it was "deeply disturbed" by the move and said relations with Phnom Penh would suffer, while the EU urged Beijing to treat them properly.
The UN special rapporteur on torture, Manfred Novak, on Tuesday called the expulsion of the Uighurs "a blatant violation" of anti-torture rules and urged an independent probe as well as access to the group should they be detained.
Washington and Brussels have also expressed concerns this week over the trial of prominent Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo on subversion charges. He faces a maximum of 15 years in prison if convicted when the verdict is given Friday.
"As far as we can tell, this man's crime was simply signing a piece of paper that aspires to a more open and participatory form of government. That is not a crime," US State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said.
"Clearly, a political trial that will likely lead to a political conviction is uncharacteristic of a great country."
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu on Thursday slammed statements made by foreign governments about Liu's case, calling them a "gross interference" in China's internal affairs.
China is also facing calls from Britain and rights groups for clemency for a Briton with reported mental health problems due to be executed in the Asian nation next week on drugs charges.
London said it was "alarmed and concerned" when Akmal Shaikh's final appeal was denied, but Beijing says the case has been handled properly.
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