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China Court Sentences 3 to Death Over Attack at Railroad Station China Court Sentences 3 to Death Over Attack at Railroad Station
(about 1 hour later)
HONG KONG — A court in southwest China on Friday sentenced three people to death and another to life in prison after finding them guilty of killing 31 people in a slashing rampage at a railroad station in early March, the official news media reported.HONG KONG — A court in southwest China on Friday sentenced three people to death and another to life in prison after finding them guilty of killing 31 people in a slashing rampage at a railroad station in early March, the official news media reported.
The three men sentenced to death were convicted of organizing and leading a terrorist organization and of intentional homicide for the attack, although they were captured Feb. 27, two days before the assault on March 1.The three men sentenced to death were convicted of organizing and leading a terrorist organization and of intentional homicide for the attack, although they were captured Feb. 27, two days before the assault on March 1.
That evening in March, five other members of the group went to Kunming Railway Station and carried out the stabbings. Four of them were shot and killed. The survivor, a woman named Patigul Tohti, was captured and went on trial with the three men accused of being ringleaders. That evening in March, five other members of the group went to Kunming Railway Station and carried out the stabbings. Four of them were shot and killed on the spot. The survivor, a woman named Patigul Tohti, was captured and went on trial with the three men accused of being ringleaders.
The assault was among the bloodiest attacks to galvanize an intense security drive against the discontent of ethnic Uighurs in Xinjiang, the far western region where the defendants came from. The trial, heavily reported by the Chinese state media, revived images of the mayhem in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province in southwest China. The assault was among the bloodiest attacks to galvanize an intense security drive against volatile discontent among ethnic Uighurs in Xinjiang, the far western region where the defendants came from. The trial, heavily reported by the Chinese state media, revived images of the mayhem in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province in southwest China.
The verdict showed the Chinese government’s “staunch attitude and strong determination to sternly attack violent terror crimes,” said Yunnan’s official news service, citing the court decision.The verdict showed the Chinese government’s “staunch attitude and strong determination to sternly attack violent terror crimes,” said Yunnan’s official news service, citing the court decision.
In addition to the dead, 141 people were wounded, after the assailants used daggers and long knives to stab and hack at people, many of them traveling workers belonging to China’s Han ethnic majority.In addition to the dead, 141 people were wounded, after the assailants used daggers and long knives to stab and hack at people, many of them traveling workers belonging to China’s Han ethnic majority.
After a hearing that started in the morning, the verdict was swift and predictably harsh. The judges agreed with the prosecutors that the three men on trial — Iskandar Ehet, Turgun Tohtunyaz and Hasayn Muhammad — were ringleaders of the attack, and they were found guilty of organizing and leading a terrorist organization, as well as intentional homicide, according to Xinhua, the state news agency. They were all sentenced to death.After a hearing that started in the morning, the verdict was swift and predictably harsh. The judges agreed with the prosecutors that the three men on trial — Iskandar Ehet, Turgun Tohtunyaz and Hasayn Muhammad — were ringleaders of the attack, and they were found guilty of organizing and leading a terrorist organization, as well as intentional homicide, according to Xinhua, the state news agency. They were all sentenced to death.
The other defendant, Ms. Tohti, was sentenced to life in prison, after the court found her guilty of participating in a terrorist organization and intentional homicide, Xinhua said, citing the court verdict. She had been shot and caught by the police at the railroad station. The court verdict said she was spared the death penalty because she was pregnant when captured.The other defendant, Ms. Tohti, was sentenced to life in prison, after the court found her guilty of participating in a terrorist organization and intentional homicide, Xinhua said, citing the court verdict. She had been shot and caught by the police at the railroad station. The court verdict said she was spared the death penalty because she was pregnant when captured.
The reports from the trial did not describe the ethnicity of the defendants, but their names identified them as Uighur, and the reports said they needed interpreters in court. The government charged that they had formed a cell devoted to wresting independence for their homeland, Xinjiang, through violence.The reports from the trial did not describe the ethnicity of the defendants, but their names identified them as Uighur, and the reports said they needed interpreters in court. The government charged that they had formed a cell devoted to wresting independence for their homeland, Xinjiang, through violence.
Uighurs are a Turkic people who mostly follow Sunni Islam, and there has been growing unrest among them in Xinjiang over Chinese government controls on their religion and traditional ways, and over the growing Han presence in the region.Uighurs are a Turkic people who mostly follow Sunni Islam, and there has been growing unrest among them in Xinjiang over Chinese government controls on their religion and traditional ways, and over the growing Han presence in the region.
According to the court verdict, the group behind the assault coalesced in late 2013, when the defendants and nine others came under the influence of “extremist religious thought” and developed plans to go abroad. They roamed around China, training and buying knives. When the group was in Yunnan, it hatched plans for the assault, bought more knives and made banners proclaiming its commitment to an independent Xinjiang and to religious struggle.According to the court verdict, the group behind the assault coalesced in late 2013, when the defendants and nine others came under the influence of “extremist religious thought” and developed plans to go abroad. They roamed around China, training and buying knives. When the group was in Yunnan, it hatched plans for the assault, bought more knives and made banners proclaiming its commitment to an independent Xinjiang and to religious struggle.
Coming on the heels of growing deadly violence in Xinjiang, the Kunming attack shook the Chinese government and magnified security controls aimed at Uighurs. Human rights organizations and advocates of Uighur self-determination have argued that the security measures are alienating even more Uighurs, and breeding conditions that could feed continued violence.Coming on the heels of growing deadly violence in Xinjiang, the Kunming attack shook the Chinese government and magnified security controls aimed at Uighurs. Human rights organizations and advocates of Uighur self-determination have argued that the security measures are alienating even more Uighurs, and breeding conditions that could feed continued violence.
Separately on Friday, a lawyer for Ilham Tohti, a Uighur scholar critical of Chinese policies in Xinjiang, was notified that he would stand trial in Urumqi, the regional capital, on Wednesday. Mr. Tohti, who taught in Beijing, has been charged with separatism based on accusations that he led of a group advocating the creation of an independent Uighur homeland. The lawyer, Liu Xiaoyuan, said Mr. Tohti would fight the charges, despite the near certainty that he would be found guilty. Separately on Friday, a lawyer for Ilham Tohti, a Uighur scholar critical of Chinese policies in Xinjiang, was notified that Mr. Tohti would stand trial in Urumqi, the regional capital, on Wednesday. Mr. Tohti, who taught in Beijing, has been charged with separatism based on accusations that he led of a group advocating the creation of an independent Uighur homeland. The lawyer, Liu Xiaoyuan, said Mr. Tohti would fight the charges, despite the near certainty that he would be found guilty.
Before his detention in January, Mr. Tohti said in interviews and writings that he opposed violence and ethnic hatred, and wanted Beijing to listen to Uighur grievances about economic inequality and discrimination.Before his detention in January, Mr. Tohti said in interviews and writings that he opposed violence and ethnic hatred, and wanted Beijing to listen to Uighur grievances about economic inequality and discrimination.
“We’ll argue that he’s innocent and the charge of separatism is totally unfounded,” Mr. Liu, the lawyer, said in a telephone interview. “He’s always opposed violence and doesn’t advocate separatism. He’s an independent scholar who’s been made a scapegoat.”“We’ll argue that he’s innocent and the charge of separatism is totally unfounded,” Mr. Liu, the lawyer, said in a telephone interview. “He’s always opposed violence and doesn’t advocate separatism. He’s an independent scholar who’s been made a scapegoat.”