An exiled leader of China’s Uygur ethnic minority has condemned the death sentences passed on two people over what authorities called a terrorist attack in the restive western region of Xinjiang.
The pair were sentenced to death and three other people condemned to prison terms ranging from nine years to life on Monday by a court in Xinjiang, home to around 10 million of the mostly-Muslim minority, official media reported.
Rebiya Kadeer, leader of the World Uygur Congress, an exile group which has been condemned by Beijing, called the sentences “politically motivated” in a statement.
The sentences “serve merely as a stark reminder from the Chinese authorities that Uygurs are not equal before the law, nor can they expect any time soon full enjoyment of their rights”, she said.
Xinjiang is periodically hit by clashes between Uygurs and members of China’s Han majority group. Chinese authorities often blame the violence on terrorist groups seeking independence for the region.
Those accusations are denied by Uygur exile groups, who say that violence stems from resentment caused by lack of economic opportunities as well as restrictions on religious and cultural freedom.