China sentences two Muslim officials to death for ‘separatism’ in Xinjiang

China has handed death sentences to two Uighur former government officials in the Xinjiang region for carrying out “separatist activities” as it comes under increasing criticism over alleged abuse of Uighur Muslims.

Shirzat Bawudun, former head of the Xinjiang regional justice department, was convicted of “splitting the country” and has been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve. 

The court found that Mr Bawudun colluded with the East Turkistan Islamic Movement, offered help to separatists and religious extremists, and collaborated with overseas separatist forces, said Wang Langtao, vice president of Xinjiang’s regional higher people’s court. 

The United States in 2020 revoked its designation of the group as a “terrorist organisation,” saying there has been no credible evidence that it continues to exist.

Mr Bawudun also committed crimes including illegally providing information to foreign forces, participating in a terrorist group, and aiding terrorist activities, according to state news agency Xinhua. 

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Sattar Sawut, former director of the Xinjiang education department, has also been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve after being found guilty of crimes of separatism and taking bribes.

The court found that Mr Sawut took advantage of compiling and publishing ethnic language textbooks for primary and secondary schools to “split” the country, Xinhua said. 

He demanded incorporating content that preached “ethnic separatism, violence, terrorism, and religious extremism into the textbooks to split the state,” the court said.

The court said the books influenced several people to participate in attacks in Urumqi including riots in 2009, according to AFP. Others became “key members” of a separatist group headed by former college teacher Ilham Tohti — a Uighur economist serving a life sentence on separatism charges since 2014. 

Both men pleaded guilty and neither would file an appeal, the Associated Press quoted Mr Wang as saying.

Foreign researchers have said more than 1 million people from predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities are held in detention camps across Xinjiang. China has insisted that the camps are for job training and will gradually disappear if “one day society no longer needs it.” 

China has repeatedly come under fire over its treatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang. The US, UK and Canada in a joint statement last month expressed concerns over “China’s human rights violations and abuses” in the region. They called on Beijing to grant the international community unhindered access to Xinjiang. 

The US accused China in January of committing “genocide” in its repression of the Uighurs and said last month that there has been no development which would change its assessment.