China Uighurs executed

An official Chinese newspaper Xinjiang Daily has reported that eleven people have been executed in the north-western region of Xinjiang after being convicted of murder, setting police cars on fire and other offences.

Correspondents say that the list of names of the executed indicate they were Uighurs -- members of the Muslim minority in Xinjiang.

The authorities blamed Uighur separatists for explosions in the regional capital, Urumqi, a year ago in which nine people were killed and for rioting in Yining, near the Kazakh border, in which at least ten people died.

Thirteen Uighurs were reported to have been executed in December.

The latest executions took place a week ago.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service