China Sentences 30 People Over Tibet Riots

Six Buddhist monks were among 30 people sentenced by a Chinese court Tuesday to jail terms ranging from three years to life for taking part in deadly riots in Tibet. The punishments were the first to be meted out by a Chinese court against Tibetans accused of taking part in a frenzy of assaults, burning, looting and vandalism mainly targeting Han Chinese and their businesses in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa and nearby areas March 14 - 16. The violence and subsequent government crackdown drew worldwide attention to China's human rights record and its rule in Tibet ahead of the Beijing Olympics. Celebrations marking 100 days to the start of the games will take place today. The sentences were announced during two sessions of a one day trial at the Intermediate People's Court of Lhasa, the official Zinhua News Agency reported.