EU condemns China executions

(BRUSSELS) - The European Union condemned Thursday China's execution of nine people over deadly ethnic unrest in its Xinjiang region, and expressed concern about the conditions in which they were tried.

"The EU respects China's right to bring those responsible for violent action to justice but reaffirms its longstanding opposition to the use of the death penalty under all circumstances," EU president Sweden said in a statement.

It said that in death penalty cases "internationally recognised minimum standards must be respected. These include all possible safeguards to ensure a fair trial and adequate representation."

"The EU reiterates its concerns about the conditions under which the trials were conducted, especially with regard to whether due process and other safeguards for a fair trial were respected."

The 27 nation bloc also urged China to urgently review the cases of others sentenced to death over the unrest, and to abolish capital punishment.

China announced the deaths on Monday. The nine were convicted in October over violence in the far-west region in July between the local Muslim Uighur community, who claim they are oppressed, and the majority Han ethnic group.

The ethnic unrest, China's worst in decades, left 197 people dead and more than 1,600 injured, according to an official toll.