13 people executed in Uighur region of China

SHANGHAI -

Thirteen people were executed Monday in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous region, northeastern China, on charges of organizing terrorist activities, intentional killing and inciting unrest, according to China's Xinhua news agency.

It was claimed that they were involved in seven cases such as terrorist attacks and the killing of security forces, public authorities or civilians and disturbance of the peace. 

Meanwhile, three other people were sentenced to death in Xinjiang's capital Urumqi on Monday in relation to a terror attack near Beijing's Tiananmen Square in October 2013.

China does not announce the prosecution process of such cases and alleged offences to the public. 

Uighurs, a Turkic group which constitute around 45 percent of the population of Xinjiang, are accusing China of carrying out repressive policies that restrain their religious, commercial and cultural activities.

A year-long ‘’anti-terrorism’’ campaign - focusing on Xinjiang, home to the Uighur Muslim ethnic group - was launched by China’s central government on May 23 and will be in effect until June 2015.

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