According to Xinhua (via Reuters and BBC), earlier today the Chinese government pressed forward in the campaign against the Uyghur’s arrested after the July riots in East Turkestan (Xinjiang) that left approximately 200 people dead and wounded an additional 1,600 people, according to government statistics.  In a court in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, five more people were sentenced to death.

Previously, nine were executed last month and three others were given the death penalty with a two year reprieve. 

Along with the five sentenced to death, eight other individuals received prison time, with two receiving life in prison.  This new batch of sentences brings the total number of July uprising convictions to 34, with five more cases to be heard in court tomorrow.

For more on the struggle of the Uyghur people and the occupation of East Turkestan, please see Harry Wu's interview with Rebiya Kadeer and the Uyghur American Association.