The Uighur Christian Alimujian Yimiti has had his appeal against a 15-year sentence turned down by a Chinese court, according to the London-based religious rights group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). Yimiti, a convert from Islam, has been detained since January 12 2008 and was convicted in August 2009 of “instigating separatism and revealing state secrets to foreigners.” CSW said in a statement yesterday it had learned a notice was sent to Yimiti in mid-February telling him the appeal had been rejected by the Higher People’s Court of Xinjiang. An earlier appeal in March 2010 also failed. In 2009, a United Nations working group said Yimiti was detained “solely on account of his faith” and his detention was “arbitrary.” Yimiti’s closed trial in 2009 did not follow due procedure in Chinese or international law and Mr Yimiti had limited access to his lawyers, CSW said. UK13508.1643
