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Prominent Uighur academic Ilham Tohti jailed for life Prominent Uighur academic Ilham Tohti jailed for life
(35 minutes later)
A court in China has found a prominent Uighur scholar guilty of separatism and jailed him for life, his lawyer says.A court in China has found a prominent Uighur scholar guilty of separatism and jailed him for life, his lawyer says.
Ilham Tohti, a former university academic, has spoken out on the government's policies towards the Muslim Uighur minority in the restive region of Xinjiang.Ilham Tohti, a former university academic, has spoken out on the government's policies towards the Muslim Uighur minority in the restive region of Xinjiang.
Mr Tohti, who denies the charges against him, has been detained since January. Tohti, who denies the charges against him, has been detained since January.
The EU, US and the United Nations have called for his release.The EU, US and the United Nations have called for his release.
Mr Tohti's lawyer, Li Fangpin, told AFP news agency that he planned to appeal against the verdict. The Urumqi People's Intermediate Court found Tohti guilty after a two-day trial that ended last week.
The academic is seen outside China as a moderate voice who has campaigned for better dialogue between Beijing and the Uighur community. His lawyer, Li Fangping, told BBC Chinese that his client will not accept the verdict and added that "he will file an appeal without a doubt".
Mr Tohti was detained after he criticised Beijing's response to a suicide car attack near Tiananmen Square. The government blamed that incident on separatists from Xinjiang. The BBC's Damian Grammaticas in Beijing says China has been taking an increasingly tough line on anyone who might be deemed "separatists".
Observers said the verdict could further stoke tensions between the Uighurs and the majority Han Chinese. The court has ordered all of Tohti's money and property seized and he can expect to serve at least 12 years, our correspondent adds.
'Deplorable'
In recent years Xinjiang has seen rising tensions between Uighurs and Han Chinese migrants, and observers say the sentence could further stoke tensions.
The Chinese government blames Uighur separatists for a series of recent attacks in which hundreds of people have died.
But critics of the government say it is Beijing's harsh policies and restrictions on Uighurs and their religion that have led to the rise in violence.
Tohti was detained after he criticised Beijing's response to a suicide car attack near Tiananmen Square. The government blamed that incident on separatists from Xinjiang.
Prosecutors at the trial alleged he was engaging in separatist activities including promoting independence on his website, according to his lawyers.
Tohti, who is ethnic Uighur, is seen outside China as a moderate voice who has campaigned for better dialogue between Beijing and the Uighur community.
Human rights group Amnesty International has called the verdict "deplorable" saying it was an "affront to justice".
The group said the trial was full of legal shortcomings.
"His legal team were refused access to evidence and they were unable to meet Tohti for six months. One of Tohti's lawyers was also forced to quit the case following political pressure," the group said.