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lham Tohti, a Beijing-based economics professor from Minzu University,had told the court, according to his lawyer, that it was always his opinion that it was in the best interests of Uygurs to remain in China. Photo: Reuters

Breaking | Life in jail: unusually harsh sentence for Uygur scholar Ilham Tohti for inciting separatism

Economics professor from Minzu University had strongly denied the charges

An outspoken ethnic Uygur economics professor has been sentenced to life in prison on charges that he sought to split China.

Ilham Tohti, a Beijing-based economics professor from Minzu University, was handed the jail term by the Intermediate People’s Court of Urumuqi in Xinjiang this morning. The court also ordered that all his property be confiscated.

Tohti, 44, was accused of promoting independence on a Uygur- and Chinese-language website he managed, Uighurbiz.net,, where he called for adjustment of China’s policy in the region.

He strongly denied the charges of separatism during the two-day trial that started last Wednesday, saying in a closing statement that “he loved his country ... and that it was always his opinion that it was in the best interests of Uygurs to remain in China”, according to his lawyer Li Fangping,

The court  said Tohti had spread lessons containing separatist thoughts through his website and organised students to write, edit, translate and reprint articles seeking Xinjiang’s separation from China, Xinhua reported.

He also had “internationalised” Xinjiang issues  by conducting
interviews with foreign media and attacking China’s policies in Xinjiang, the court said.

Before the verdict was announced, Tohti greeted everyone in the court this morning with Mandarin and Uygur language, Li.said 

Tohti remained quiet  and smiled when the 66-page verdict
was read out, but in the end he yelled out "I won’t accept" and
was soon taken out of the court by police, Li said.

Li said that Tohti’s wife cried out at the court after the sentence
was announced. “It’s a disaster for his wife and two sons,” he said. 

Li said he would meet Tohti tomorrow to prepare for the appeal.

The trial of Tohti has drawn concerns over judicial and human
man rights abuses.  

"Tohti has consistently, courageously and unambiguously
advocated peacefully for greater understanding and dialogue between various communities, and with the state," said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch . “If this is Beijing’s definition of ‘separatist’' activities, it’s hard to see tensions in Xinjiang and between the communities decreasing.”

The verdict was announced amid a spike of anti-government violence in the far western region of Xinjiang, home to ethnic minority Uygur Muslims..

In the latest violence, at least two people were killed and multiple injured in a series of explosions in at least three locations in Luntai County on Sunday afternoon, government-owned news portal Tianshan web said in a brief report Monday morning .

Guzaili Nuer, wife of Ilham Tohti, makes her way back to the Urumqi Intermediate People's Court. Photo: AFP
Chinese authorities have blamed separatist forces from Xinjiang for these attacks against government.

Human rights groups and Uygur activists say the government’s high-handed policies fuel discrimination against local Uygurs by the Han, the dominant group of China.

Mainland authorities have launched a massive crackdown against terrorism in wake of a string of violent attacks in the restive Xinjiang region and other cities on the mainland.

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