China sentences 3 more to death over ethnic riots

BEIJING — China sentenced three more people to death Friday for murder and other crimes committed in riots in the western region of Xinjiang in July.

The ruling brings to 17 the number of death sentences handed down over China's worst ethnic violence in decades.

The sentences by the Urumqi Intermediate People's Court came a day after the court sentenced five to death over the riots.

The sentences were confirmed by a Ms. Wu from the Xinjiang regional government's press office. Like many Chinese officials she refused to give her full name.

The official Xinhua News Agency said the Urumqi Intermediate People's Court also sentenced a fourth person to life in prison.

China announced last month that nine people had been executed for taking part in the ethnic rioting that left nearly 200 people dead in July.

Xinhua identified the defendants as Heyrinisa Sawut, Ruzikhari Niyaz and Li Longfei. The first two are Uighur names and the third is Han Chinese.

It said Sawut was convicted of bashing in the head of a man, who died of brain damage. Niyaz smashed the head of a taxi driver with a pick-ax, killing him, while Li attacked and killed two passers-by with a stick.