Abdujelil Metyinasir, a Uyghur man from Xinjiang’s Chira County, was arrested in July 2012 following a deadly explosion attack in Hotan City, which resulted in the death of a child and multiple injuries. The lead perpetrator, Ruzi Bak, was shot dead by police at the scene, while Abdujelil was investigated as a member of Bak’s terrorist organisation. He was accused of participating in the organisation, assisting in the murder of two individuals who had disobeyed the organisation, as well as helping transport explosive devices used in deadly attacks.
Despite the facts cited in the verdict indicating that Bak (who was shot dead) was the leader of the charged offences, Abdujelil was sentenced to death on March 28, 2013, primarily for the murder he committed. The ruling was upheld by the second instance trial against his appealing, and approved by the Supreme People's Court on 10 June 2014.
His case occurred during a period of escalating ethnic conflicts and violence in Xinjiang, with major protests and attacks reported in Urumqi, Kunming, and Beijing between 2012-2014. The Chinese government classified these violent offences as acts of terrorism and separatism, imposing immediate harsh penalties. On 16 July 2024, thirteen individuals convicted for seven Xinjiang-related attacks, including Abdujelil, were executed.
These cases marked a turning point, prompting China's strike-hard crack-down in Xinjiang and a nationwide anti-terror campaign since then. Such policies led to expanded surveillance, stricter security controls, and mass arrests. In Xinjiang, authorities tightened religious restrictions, increased police patrols, and implemented high-tech surveillance, and developed various measure of deprivation of liberty for Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities.