New unjust trials against 14 Uyghurs – Wave of death sentences threatens

Today Wednesday the Society for Threatened Peoples STP (Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker GfbV) reported that court proceedings have been opened against 14 Uyghurs. The accused are charged with being involved in the protests in the north-west of China in July 2009. "We fear a new wave of death sentences”, said the STP Asia consultant, Ulrich Delius, in Göttingen. "These Uyghurs will also be sentenced in secret special hearings which contradict all internationally recognized legal procedures. Here there is no dispensation of justice, instead the defendants are arbitrarily criminalised purely on the basis of their ethnic origin.” Six Uyghurs were already sentenced to death last Monday for their involvement in the disturbances. Another one received a life sentence. At least 718 Uyghurs have had to answer in court for their participation in the demonstrations in the summer.

"After the celebrations on the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic the Chinese rulers will now show no mercy and will punish the Uyghurs with a vengeance”, said Delius. It is clear that Peking is quite prepared to accept fresh protests against its arbitrary justice, which would further increase the tensions between the Uyghurs and the Han Chinese who have been moving into Xinjiang.

No other ethnic group in China is suffering so much under the extreme use of the death penalty as the Uyghurs. Since 1997 more than 720 Uyghurs have been executed for political reasons.

The STP Asia consultant, Ulrich Delius, can also be reached for further information at u.delius@gfbv.de