[Uighur-l] [UHRP Press Release] Politicized verdicts for six Uyghur defendants given death sentences

Wed Oct 14 17:56:47 CDT 2009

Politicized verdicts for six Uyghur defendants given death sentences

For immediate release
October 14, 2009, 1:40 pm EST
Contact: Uyghur American Association +1 (202) 349 1496 

Following an unannounced trial on October 12, the Intermediate 
People's Court of Urumchi sentenced Uyghur defendants Abdukerim 
Abduwayit, Gheni Yusup, Abdulla Mettohti, Adil Rozi, Nureli Wuxiu'er 
(Hoshur) and Alim Metyusup to death on charges of murder and other 
crimes they were alleged to have committed during July 5 unrest in 
Urumchi, the regional capital of East Turkestan. A seventh man, 
Tayirejan Abulimit, was sentenced to life in prison on charges of 
murder and robbery. The Uyghur American Association (UAA) strongly 
protests the verdicts handed down to these men, out of concern that 
the men faced highly politicized trials that did not adhere to 
standards of either domestic or international law. UAA calls upon the 
international community to express concern over the verdicts, in 
light of a demonstrated lack of transparency for accused Uyghurs in 
China's judicial system and a dearth of official clarity regarding 
suspects, charges and evidence related to the unrest in Urumchi.

"Chinese authorities are using these death sentences to send a 
political message representing brute force, fear and intimidation," 
stated Uyghur democracy leader Rebiya Kadeer. "The trial of these six 
men occurred in an extremely charged political environment, and the 
men were not afforded due process as required by Chinese law. The 
Chinese government has done nothing to substantively address the root 
causes of the July unrest, and has responded to the unrest by 
carrying out killings and mass detentions of Uyghurs and bringing in 
tens of thousands of troops to the region. Chinese authorities have 
actively worked to exacerbate ethnic tensions in the region, and I 
fear that the politically-motivated sentences handed down to these 
six Uyghur men will only worsen tensions."

Remarks made by Chinese government officials prior to the trial of 
the six condemned men indicate the existence of political pressure to 
issue death sentences to Uyghurs involved in the July 5 unrest. For 
instance, Urumchi Communist Party secretary Li Zhi, at a 
<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/world/asia/09hu.html?_r=4>press 
conference on July 8, stated that executions would be used to deal 
with those involved in the unrest. The well-documented lack of 
transparency in the Chinese judicial system, especially for Uyghurs, 
coupled with the state-sanctioned threats towards lawyers who may 
represent Uyghur suspects, illustrates that executions, when they do 
take place, are political.

According to 
<http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-10-12-voa15.cfm>news reports, 
the seven Uyghurs tried on October 12 were defended by 
court-appointed lawyers. Although the men can appeal their sentences, 
it is not expected that the verdicts will be overturned.

Tayirejan Abulimit was 
<http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j794twyjYyjeOIdsKWwzCUhsgvUAD9B9VO781>reportedly 
given a more lenient sentence than the other men because he had 
confessed and had helped police capture at least one other suspect. 
However, UAA cautions that 
<http://uyghuramerican.org/docs/TURKESTAN.pdf>torture and forced 
confessions are an extremely prominent feature of most Uyghurs' 
experiences at the hands of the police and judiciary in East 
Turkestan.

This feature of the PRC's judicial system was criticized by the UN 
Special Rapporteur on torture, who stated following a mission to the 
PRC - which included prison visits in East Turkestan - that torture 
remains "widespread".

The verdicts of the seven Uyghur suspects followed just two days 
after a court in the southeastern province of Guangdong handed down a 
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8300365.stm>death sentence 
to a Han Chinese man who was alleged to have spread rumors that led 
to a deadly attack on Uyghurs at a toy factory. The attack, and the 
lack of response on the part of Chinese authorities to address the 
incident or punish those involved, led to the initially peaceful 
Uyghur protests that took place in Urumchi on July 5.

On October 14, a 
<http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hmOFVZLGA44SS4AohdAQ-Mh05JFw>trial 
opened in the Intermediate People's Court of Urumchi for 14 
additional defendants charged with crimes related to the July 5 
unrest. According to state media, the 14 are charged with murder, as 
well as robbery, arson and vandalism.

UAA is concerned that the 14 defendants, together with all remaining 
suspects to be tried in connection with the unrest in Urumchi, will 
also face politically-motivated trials that do not meet domestic or 
international legal standards. An October 9 
<http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-10/09/content_8769142.htm>China 
Daily article cited Urumchi's deputy chief procurator, Liu Bo, as 
stating that 108 suspects stand accused of alleged involvement in the 
July unrest, including the 21 who have been tried or who are being 
tried on murder charges.  

As 
<http://www.cecc.gov/pages/virtualAcad/index.phpd?showsingle=128326>reported 
by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) on 
September 14, a Xinjiang official acknowledged that authorities had 
detained Uyghurs who had protested peacefully on July 5, and state 
media reports indicated that some acts of peaceful protest or 
expression would be subject to formal criminal charges.

Many of the details on the criminal and judicial procedures in cases 
related to the Urumchi unrest as reported by the China Daily have 
been contested in reports emerging from East Turkestan, adding to 
grave doubts regarding the divergent official accounts of detentions 
and impending trials.

Chinese authorities have not been forthcoming regarding the details 
of attacks carried out against Uyghurs in the days and months 
following July 5. Officials have not publicized the number of Han 
Chinese to be tried for a rampage of killing of Uyghurs on July 6-7, 
2009.

Eyewitness accounts described attacks on Uyghurs and Uyghur 
businesses in the wake of the alleged syringe stabbings in early 
September. Two prominent bloggers in China, Ilham Tohti and Woeser, 
<http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/online-09082009133813.html>reported 
the beating to death of Uyghur singer Mirzat Alim on September 2, 
2009, and a severe beating suffered by Uyghur calligrapher and 
journalist Kaynam Jappar on September 3, 2009. Both attacks were 
carried out by Han Chinese mobs, according to the bloggers.

See also:

Chinese government confusion over trials in East Turkestan hints at 
politicized criminal and judicial procedures for Uyghur Urumchi 
unrest suspects

<http://www.uhrp.org/articles/2756/1/Chinese-government-confusion-over-trials-in-East-Turkestan-hints-at-politicized-criminal-and-judicial-procedures-for-Uyghur-Urumchi-unrest-suspects-/index.html>http://www.uhrp.org/articles/2756/1/Chinese-government-confusion-over-trials-in-East-Turkestan-hints-at-politicized-criminal-and-judicial-procedures-for-Uyghur-Urumchi-unrest-suspects-/index.html

Six get death for Xinjiang riots

<http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/6781530.html>http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/6781530.html

Uyghur American Association expresses concern over impending trials 
for Uyghur suspects of July unrest in Urumchi

<http://www.uhrp.org/articles/2860/1/Uyghur-American-Association-expresses-concern-over-impending-trials-for-Uyghur-suspects-of-July-unrest-in-Urumchi-/index.html>http://www.uhrp.org/articles/2860/1/Uyghur-American-Association-expresses-concern-over-impending-trials-for-Uyghur-suspects-of-July-unrest-in-Urumchi-/index.html

Uighur exile airs prison killing allegation

<http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iWj7kMhvfE2MZBoQ5ewS8EPyJFaA>http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iWj7kMhvfE2MZBoQ5ewS8EPyJFaA

Uyghurs swept up in mass detentions as Chinese government steps up rhetoric

<http://www.uhrp.org/articles/2637/1/Uyghurs-swept-up-in-mass-detentions-as-Chinese-government-steps-up-rhetoric-/index.html>http://www.uhrp.org/articles/2637/1/Uyghurs-swept-up-in-mass-detentions-as-Chinese-government-steps-up-rhetoric-/index.html

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The UAA has undertaken the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) for the 
purpose of promoting improved human rights conditions for Uyghurs and 
other indigenous groups in East Turkestan, on the premise that the 
assurance of basic human rights will facilitate the realization of 
the community's democratic aspirations.

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Uyghur American Association
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Washington, D.C.  20006
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