China's top court makes dealing with terror crimes its priority
Mainland sees 13pc rise in number of people convicted on terrorism and separatism charges
The mainland convicted and sentenced 712 people for terrorism, separatism and related crimes last year, the top court said yesterday, adding that such offences were its top priority this year.
Violent attacks and unrest have been on the rise in Xinjiang , home to the mostly Muslim Uygur minority, and Tibet , where reports of self-immolation in protest against Chinese rule often make global news.
The mainland has vowed to step up punishment of what it calls "violent terrorists" and is drafting its first anti-terrorism law. But rights groups warn that it would grant the Communist Party even greater powers to "define terrorism and terrorist activities so broadly as to easily include peaceful dissent or criticism" of government policies.
The number of people sentenced last year for crimes such as inciting secession and terrorist attacks was up 13.3 per cent from 2013, the Supreme People's Court said in its report to the National People's Congress.
"[We will] … firmly punish violent terrorist crimes according to the law," it said in the report.
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Clashes and increasingly sophisticated strikes have spread, both in Xinjiang and outside it.
