CHINA: 2 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR XINJIANG TERRORIST ATTACK

August 12, 2013: A court in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region sentenced two men to death and another three to prison for taking part in a violent attack that happened on 23 April. 
China blamed the 23 April violence on “terrorists”, a charge rights groups say is often used to justify the authorities’ use of force against members of the mostly Muslim Uighur minority.
The Intermediate People’s Court in Xinjiang’s Kashgar Prefecture sentenced Musa Hesen and Rehman Hupur to death for crimes including murder and taking part in a “terrorist group”, the Xinhua news agency reported.
Hesen was accused of leading the group and manufacturing explosives.
Another three men accused of belonging to the group were given prison sentences ranging from nine years to life, Xinhua reported.
All of the defendants reportedly confessed to their crimes in court.
A total of 19 suspects were arrested after the April incident in Kashgar’s Bachu County, which saw gunfights break out leaving 15 police and community workers and six “terrorists” dead. (Sources: Xinhua, 12/08/2013)