Abdujelil Metyinasir, a Uyghur man from Xinjiang’s Cele 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 participating in the organisation, assisting in the murders of two individuals who had disobeyed the organization, 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 offenses, 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 offenses 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 poli-cies led to expanded surveillance, strict-er security controls, and mass arrests. In Xinjiang, authorities tightened reli-gious restrictions, increased police pa-trols, and implemented high-tech sur-veillance, and developed various meas-ure of deprivation of liberty for Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities.