Uyghur Church Leader Sentenced to 15 Years Imprisonment

XINJIANG--In a stunning development to both the lawyers and family members, ChinaAid learned today that 36-year-old house church leader Alimujiang Yimiti received 15 years imprisonment for allegedly "providing state secrets to overseas organizations." He was allegedly read his verdict while in prison on October 27th.  Mr. Li Dunyong, one of the Alimujiang’s lawyers, confirmed that he has already filed an appeal on Mr. Alimujiang’s behalf.

Mr. Alimujiang has been held at Kashgar Detention Center for over a year without a verdict. He was first formally detained and charged on "suspicions of harming national security" on January 11, 2008, by the Bureau of State Security of Kashgar. The charges were then changed to "suspicion of instigating separatism and providing national secrets or intelligence to overseas organizations or individuals" on February 20, 2009. He was tried secretly in the Kashgar Intermediate Court on May 27, on these new charges. The case was then sent back for retrial. He was tried secretly again on July 28, with the first charge dropped.  Read more here.