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| China sentences moderate Uighur scholar to life in prison for advocating separatism | China sentences moderate Uighur scholar to life in prison for advocating separatism |
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| BEIJING — China sentenced the prominent Uighur intellectual Ilham Tohti to life imprisonment for advocating separatism and inciting ethnic hatred, criticizing the government and voicing support for terrorism on Tuesday, in a surprisingly harsh verdict that critics said made a mockery of the country’s legal system and underlined the government’s brutal repression of dissent. | BEIJING — China sentenced the prominent Uighur intellectual Ilham Tohti to life imprisonment for advocating separatism and inciting ethnic hatred, criticizing the government and voicing support for terrorism on Tuesday, in a surprisingly harsh verdict that critics said made a mockery of the country’s legal system and underlined the government’s brutal repression of dissent. |
| The verdict shocked friends, scholars and activists. Tohti is widely respected abroad as a moderate voice among China’s minority Uighur community; throughout his two-day trial in the city of Urumqi last week, he insisted that he had always opposed separatism, and that he had spent his life trying to promote better relations between Uighurs and China’s Han majority. | The verdict shocked friends, scholars and activists. Tohti is widely respected abroad as a moderate voice among China’s minority Uighur community; throughout his two-day trial in the city of Urumqi last week, he insisted that he had always opposed separatism, and that he had spent his life trying to promote better relations between Uighurs and China’s Han majority. |
| But in a 66-page ruling, the judge said Tohti had advocated independence “disguised as high-level autonomy” for the western region of Xinjiang. He was also found guilty of of attacking the government’s ethnic, religious and family planning policies; voicing support for terrorists: and internationalizing the issue by speaking to foreign journalists, according to his lawyer Li Fangping. | But in a 66-page ruling, the judge said Tohti had advocated independence “disguised as high-level autonomy” for the western region of Xinjiang. He was also found guilty of of attacking the government’s ethnic, religious and family planning policies; voicing support for terrorists: and internationalizing the issue by speaking to foreign journalists, according to his lawyer Li Fangping. |
| All of Tohti’s personal property was also confiscated, a ruling sure to make life even more difficult for his wife and two young sons, aged 8 and 5. Tohti who had listened to the verdict calmly, jumped up and shouted “I object, I protest,” when the sentence was announced, but was swiftly led away without being allowed to talk to his family, according to Li. His wife Guzelnur had to be supported by two people after the hearing, her face showing her grief as she got into a taxi, according to photographs released by the lawyer. | |
| “This is so thorough and transparent a miscarriage of justice as to take one’s breath away,” said Elliot Sperling, an expert on Tibet at Indiana University and friend of Tohti’s. “By no stretch of the imagination — even the authoritarian imagination — could this be considered a fair trial. The severity of the sentence stands in inverse proportion to the substance of the charges.” | “This is so thorough and transparent a miscarriage of justice as to take one’s breath away,” said Elliot Sperling, an expert on Tibet at Indiana University and friend of Tohti’s. “By no stretch of the imagination — even the authoritarian imagination — could this be considered a fair trial. The severity of the sentence stands in inverse proportion to the substance of the charges.” |
| Tohti’s lawyers had complained they had been denied evidence in the run-up to the trial, and prevented from calling any witnesses for the defense; they had also appealed for the trial to be held in Beijing, where Tohti lived and taught, rather than in Xinjiang’s capital Urumqi. | Tohti’s lawyers had complained they had been denied evidence in the run-up to the trial, and prevented from calling any witnesses for the defense; they had also appealed for the trial to be held in Beijing, where Tohti lived and taught, rather than in Xinjiang’s capital Urumqi. |
| Uighurs in Xinjiang have long complained of discrimination and repression at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party and the country’s Han majority. In the past year, that resentment has manifested itself in a series of terrorist attacks apparently inspired by a violent interpretation of Islam. On Sunday, authorities said two people died and many were wounded in a series of explosions in central Xinjiang. | Uighurs in Xinjiang have long complained of discrimination and repression at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party and the country’s Han majority. In the past year, that resentment has manifested itself in a series of terrorist attacks apparently inspired by a violent interpretation of Islam. On Sunday, authorities said two people died and many were wounded in a series of explosions in central Xinjiang. |
| Tohti had been very critical of government policies towards Xinjiang, and had set up a Web site that aimed to promote a better understanding about what was really happening there, behind the official government narrative; nevertheless he said that Web site was explicitly managed to prevent the promotion of separatist or provocative ideas. | Tohti had been very critical of government policies towards Xinjiang, and had set up a Web site that aimed to promote a better understanding about what was really happening there, behind the official government narrative; nevertheless he said that Web site was explicitly managed to prevent the promotion of separatist or provocative ideas. |
| Citing the judge’s ruling, Chinese state news agency Xinhua said Tohti had “bewitched and coerced” young Uighur students to work for the Web site, and had also built a criminal syndicate. Seven of those students face a separate trial. | Citing the judge’s ruling, Chinese state news agency Xinhua said Tohti had “bewitched and coerced” young Uighur students to work for the Web site, and had also built a criminal syndicate. Seven of those students face a separate trial. |
| Sophie Richardson, China director for Human Rights Watch, said Tohti had always acted in accordance with Chinese and international law, and called the trial a travesty. Responsibility for the verdict laid squarely at the feet of Chinese President Xi Jinping. “This has to be seen as a singular moment for human rights in Xi Jinping's tenure,” she said. “This is going to be part of his legacy.” | Sophie Richardson, China director for Human Rights Watch, said Tohti had always acted in accordance with Chinese and international law, and called the trial a travesty. Responsibility for the verdict laid squarely at the feet of Chinese President Xi Jinping. “This has to be seen as a singular moment for human rights in Xi Jinping's tenure,” she said. “This is going to be part of his legacy.” |
| “To have shut away for life a man who had devoted himself to promoting peaceful interaction within the state really seems to extinguish hope that China — a Security Council member and the world’s second largest economy — will tolerate even the most constructive advice about how to deal with one of its serious and rapidly deteriorating problems,” she said. | “To have shut away for life a man who had devoted himself to promoting peaceful interaction within the state really seems to extinguish hope that China — a Security Council member and the world’s second largest economy — will tolerate even the most constructive advice about how to deal with one of its serious and rapidly deteriorating problems,” she said. |
| “Where now is the argument that China’s opening to the world would lead to greater convergence with international standards?” | “Where now is the argument that China’s opening to the world would lead to greater convergence with international standards?” |
| Mo Shaoping, a Chinese human rights lawyer, said the verdict would only exacerbate the conflict in Xinjiang, and was part of a broad crackdown not only on ethnic issues but on freedom of expression generally. | Mo Shaoping, a Chinese human rights lawyer, said the verdict would only exacerbate the conflict in Xinjiang, and was part of a broad crackdown not only on ethnic issues but on freedom of expression generally. |
| Sperling said Tohti was being cast as a scapegoat to mask the failure of government policies towards Xinjiang. “Perhaps they think that by casting Ilham in this role they will change the situation in Xinjiang,” he said. “They’re thoroughly wrong. It will continue to get worse, continue to evince the growing hostility that CCP (Chinese Communist Party) policies are engendering. | Sperling said Tohti was being cast as a scapegoat to mask the failure of government policies towards Xinjiang. “Perhaps they think that by casting Ilham in this role they will change the situation in Xinjiang,” he said. “They’re thoroughly wrong. It will continue to get worse, continue to evince the growing hostility that CCP (Chinese Communist Party) policies are engendering. |
| Through his lawyer, Tohti said he hoped the verdict would not exacerbate divisions between Uighur and Han people. | Through his lawyer, Tohti said he hoped the verdict would not exacerbate divisions between Uighur and Han people. |
| “Tohti asked me to deliver a message before the trial, that no matter how heavy the sentence he’d get, he hopes that his people and his family won’t have hate in their heart,” Li said, speaking by telephone from Urumqi. “He said he would continue to advocate for communication and understanding between people, but that he’d also continue to defend the rights of the Uighur people.” | “Tohti asked me to deliver a message before the trial, that no matter how heavy the sentence he’d get, he hopes that his people and his family won’t have hate in their heart,” Li said, speaking by telephone from Urumqi. “He said he would continue to advocate for communication and understanding between people, but that he’d also continue to defend the rights of the Uighur people.” |
| Tohti also has a daughter from a previous marriage, Jewher, who is studying at Indiana University. Last week she called the charges “ridiculous.” | Tohti also has a daughter from a previous marriage, Jewher, who is studying at Indiana University. Last week she called the charges “ridiculous.” |
| Xu Yangjingjing contributed to this report. | Xu Yangjingjing contributed to this report. |