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Summary Xinjiang is home to a large population of minority Uighurs, but is ruled by ethnic majority Hans.
China has sentenced 20 people to up to 15 years in jail for terrorist or separatist crimes in the far western region of Xinjiang.The state-run Xinjiang Daily said Thursday that courts in Aksu, Kashgar and Urumqi heard five cases involving the 20 people, who were found to have used the Internet and removable storage devices to organize, lead and participate in terrorist groups.It says they advocated violence and separatism and that four of them made illegal explosives.Xinjiang is home to a large population of minority Uighurs, but is ruled by Chinas ethnic majority Hans.It has been the scene of numerous violent incidents in recent years, including ethnic riots in Urumqi in 2009 that left nearly 200 people dead.
