Six sentenced to death in China over riots
Six people sentenced to death in China over last summer's riots in Urumqi
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By Matthew Champion. |  |
Thursday, 15, Oct 2009 10:12
By Richard James.
Six people have been sentenced to death in China over last summer's riots in the city of Urumqi.
Twelve people in total now face execution following the ethnic unrest in July.
The Chinese government claims almost 200 people were killed in the riots when members of the indigenous ethnic Uighur community clashed with ethnic Han Chinese, the country's dominant ethnic group.
The violence was the worst ethnic unrest witnessed in China in decades.
The clashes occurred after an initially peaceful protest in Urumqi on July 5th by Uighurs over an incident in a southern Chinese factory which left two Uighurs dead.
As police attempted to break up the demonstration Uighur protesters began clashing with ethnic Han Chinese.
Later that week ethnic Han rioters allegedly carried out revenge attacks in Uighur neighbourhoods of the city leading to widespread violence and security forces struggling to maintain control.