The Intermediate People's Court of Urumqi City in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region lawfully held a public first-instance trial for 13 defendants involved in 5 cases related to the serious violent criminal activities of beating, smashing, looting, and arson during the Urumqi "7·5" incident. Sentencing was handed down immediately after the trial. Five defendants with extremely severe offenses—Maimaitiaili Yisilamu, Maimaitituerxun Ailiemu, Maimaitiaili Abudukeremu, Kuximan Kuerban, and Helili Saidier—were sentenced to death according to the law. Two other defendants received life sentences, while six others were given fixed-term imprisonment.
The court found that at around 8 PM on July 5, 2009, defendant Maimaitiaili Yisilamu, outside a store at No. 410 Jiefang South Road in Urumqi, colluded with other rioters to attack soldiers from a certain detachment of the Armed Police Force who were protecting the evacuation of bus passengers. Captain Wan Jingang was surrounded by a group of rioters while covering the retreat of injured comrades. Maimaitiaili Yisilamu violently struck Wan Jingang's head with a pavement brick, causing his death due to brain injuries. The court ruled that Maimaitiaili Yisilamu’s use of violence against the armed police officers performing their duties was particularly heinous with grave consequences, sentencing him to death for intentional homicide.
On the evening of July 5, defendants Maimaitituerxun Ailiemu and Maimaitiaili Abudukeremu conspired with other rioters to beat innocent civilian Wang Zhenwu at the intersection of Zhongwan Street North Lane One in Urumqi. Maimaitiaili Abudukeremu hit Wang's head with a brick and both defendants kicked and punched him, leading to his death. Later that night, they also attacked an innocent civilian, Zou Yuqiang, in his vehicle, killing him along with Fan Silan (female) inside the car. Additionally, Maimaitituerxun Ailiemu set fire to a van and burned down the Tianshan Grain and Oil Distribution Center at No. 447 Zhongwan Street, resulting in the deaths of five innocent civilians—Zhang Zhaoshi (female), Zhang Liu Jun, Zhang Yu, Yu Xinli (female), and Liu Kunpeng—and property losses exceeding 1.49 million yuan. The court ruled that the two defendants' crimes were particularly heinous with grave consequences, sentencing Maimaitituerxun Ailiemu to death for intentional homicide and arson, and sentencing Maimaitiaili Abudukeremu to death for intentional homicide.
At approximately 8:30 PM on July 5, defendant Kuximan Kuerban participated in violent criminal activities, smashing the glass of a tire specialty shop at No. 882 Yan'an Road in Urumqi with a stick. Later, upon seeing a group of rioters attacking an innocent civilian named Wang Ningning near Shunda Supermarket at No. 339 Dawan South Road, Kuximan Kuerban stabbed Wang Ningning multiple times in the back with a dagger, leading to his death. The court sentenced Kuximan Kuerban to death for intentional homicide.
Around 11:30 PM on July 5, defendants Helili Saidier, Abdulai Maihaiti, Nuer Maihaiti Yasin, and others encountered an innocent civilian, Wang Lei, beaten by rioters near a barbecue stand in Minghua Street Market in Urumqi. Helili Saidier joined in the beating, striking Wang Lei's head forcefully with an unopened beer bottle and kicking his face, while Abdulai Maihaiti similarly attacked Wang Lei with a beer bottle and stomped on his head. Nuer Maihaiti Yasin and others also punched and kicked Wang Lei, leading to his death from combined head injuries and sharp force trauma to his back. Around midnight the next day, defendant Abdulreiyimu Kurban incited Nuer Maihaiti Yasin and others to smash the glass of a roadside telephone booth at No. 1 East Minghua Street Lane 19 and rob its contents. Afterward, Abdulreiyimu Kurban and Nuer Maihaiti Yasin conspired to set fire to the telephone booth, while defendant Migiti Rejiepu and others ignited a nearby shoe store, causing adjacent shops to burn as well, resulting in property losses exceeding 150,000 yuan. The court ruled that Helili Saidier bore primary responsibility for Wang Lei's death, while Abdulai Maihaiti bore significant responsibility. They were sentenced to death and life imprisonment respectively for intentional homicide. Additionally, Abdulreiyimu Kurban, Nuer Maihaiti Yasin, and Migiti Rejiepu were sentenced to ten to twenty years imprisonment for intentional homicide, robbery, arson, and other charges.
Around 9:30 PM on July 5, defendant Bareti Turjun colluded with other rioters to set fire to the car wash facility of Xinjiang Zhuohui Automobile Sales Service Company, which ignited an adjacent boutique shop, causing property losses exceeding 370,000 yuan. Bareti Turjun also participated in the beating of an innocent civilian, Zhang Qingliang, leading to his death. The court sentenced Bareti Turjun to life imprisonment for arson and intentional injury.
During the trial, lawyers appointed by the defendants or designated by the court provided legal defense. The defendants confessed and defended themselves against the charges brought by the prosecution, fully exercising their legal rights. The court conducted the proceedings in the defendants' native language and provided simultaneous interpretation for other participants and spectators. Several hundred people, including relatives of victims and defendants, attended the open court session.
It is understood that the Intermediate People's Court of Urumqi will continue to hold trials for another five cases related to the serious violent criminal activities of beating, smashing, looting, and arson during the Urumqi "7·5" incident tomorrow.