5 more sentenced to death in Urumqi

Five people received the death sentence on Thursday for murder and other crimes committed in the July 5th riot in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Two other defendants were sentenced at the Intermediate People's Court of Urumqi to life imprisonment. Another six were given various jail terms. Their cases were heard in the Uygur language and interpretation was provided. Hundreds of people, including relatives of the defendants and the victims, were present at the trial.

Trials in five other cases connected with the riot will be heard by the court on Friday. So far, courts in Xinjiang have issued the death penalty to 14 people convicted of crimes committed during the riot.