Five get death sentence in Urumqi

• Source: Global Times
• [02:28 December 04 2009]
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Five people were sentenced Thursday to death for murder and other crimes committed in the July 5 riots in Urumqi, capital of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which caused the death of less than 200 people.

The defendants were Memeteli Islam, Mamattursun Elmu, Memeteli Abburakm, Kushiman Kurban and Helil Sadir.

Two others were sentenced at the Intermediate People's Court of Urumqi to life imprisonment and another six were given jail terms.

Memeteli Islam was convicted of battering to death police officer Wan Jingang with a brick.

Mamattursun Elmu and Memeteli Abburakm were convicted of killing bystander Wang Zhenwu with a rock, before smashing the van of Zou Yuqiang and killing Zou and a woman, Fan Silan, inside.

Mamattursun Elmu was also convicted of setting fire to a van and a grain shop, which killed five people in the shop.

Kushiman Kurban was convicted of smashing the windows of a tyre store with a rod and stabbing to death bystander Wang Ningning.