Uyghurs face sentencing, possible death penalty on Olympics-related charges

For immediate release
June 21, 2008, 6:00 EST
Contact: Uyghur American Association +1 (202) 349 1496

According to the Hong Kong-based Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy, a total of 65 Uyghurs convicted on Olympics-related charges are due to be sentenced in late June in East Turkistan (also known as Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in northwest China.) At least 20 of these Uyghurs reportedly face the death penalty. In light of the Chinese government’s record of criminalizing any form of political dissent expressed by Uyghurs, as well as the lack of due process and the prevalence of torture throughout the Chinese legal system, the Uyghur American Association (UAA) is extremely concerned that these individuals will not be sentenced in accordance with due process, and that their convictions may not have been obtained according to international legal standards.

According to the Hong Kong-based organization, these 65 Uyghurs were arrested in four groups, and were indicted in the Intermediate People’s Court in Urumchi, the regional capital, of having sought to sabotage the Olympics through terrorist activities. The organization reports that the four groups of Uyghurs were initially detained in January, late March and mid-April, in Urumchi, Beijing and Shanghai. They were charged with terrorism-related crimes, including “splittism” and plots to manufacture explosives and launch bombings at the Olympics.

“The fates of these men, and whether they will be sentenced to death, could be decided upon in as little as a few minutes,” said Uyghur human rights leader and Uyghur American Association president Rebiya Kadeer. “Just like countless other Uyghurs who have been detained since Beijing was awarded the Olympics, they are sure to be denied independent legal counsel, and the charges against them will not be properly investigated. The international community must speak out on behalf of the legal rights of these men, who may be imprisoned and even executed on the basis of unsubstantiated claims.”

Human rights groups have noted that the Beijing regime’s recent amplification of a Uyghur terrorist threat on the eve of the 2008 Olympics has provided it with the opportunity to deflect attention away from its repression in East Turkistan and to project an exaggerated image of Uyghur terrorism on the world stage. Just as it has used the “global war on terror” to justify the intensified persecution of Uyghurs, it has used an emphasis on the Uyghur terrorist threat to justify its human rights abuses against Uyghurs in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympics.

It is unclear whether or not the 65 Uyghurs are comprised of individuals charged with crimes related to alleged terror plots that were well-publicized in recent months in China’s official media. On April 10, a Public Security Ministry spokesman said that some 45 people had been arrested on suspicion of planning to kidnap athletes and carry out suicide bomb attacks to sabotage the Olympics. On January 27, state-controlled media reports indicated that PRC security forces killed two people and captured 15 others in a terror raid in Urumchi, the capital of East Turkestan. However, there have been no independent sources that can verify the official version of these allegations.

The Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy also reported that, prior to the arrival of the Olympic torch in Kashgar, three Uyghurs who had been convicted of “splittism” were executed in Kashgar. These three Uyghurs had reportedly been arrested in January 2007.

The PRC has long sought to equate all Uyghur opposition to Chinese rule with “terrorism.” East Turkestan remains the only part of the People’s Republic of China where people are still executed for non-violent crimes of political opposition to the Chinese state. Chinese government authorities consistently fail to provide corroborating evidence for terror claims made against Uyghur individuals.

Official PRC government documents and statements frequently use vague and generic terms such as “East Turkestan terrorist organization” or “East Turkestan terrorist force,” implying that a unified and strong group of terrorists exists. Hundreds of official speeches, reports, and news articles discussing East Turkestan use the “terrorist” designation.

However, almost all independent observers have rejected the legitimacy of the government claims.