13/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 12 November, the European Union condemned the recent execution of nine people in the Xinjiang region following the violent demonstrations that took place in Ürümqi on 5-7 July 2009. While fully respecting China's right to bring those responsible for acts of violence to justice, the EU repeats its “longstanding opposition to the use of the death penalty under all circumstances”. It also reiterates its concerns over the conditions under which the trials were conducted, and continues to call on the Chinese authorities to abolish the death penalty completely with, as a first step, a moratorium as urged by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolutions 62/149 and 63/168. (L.C./transl.rt)