A call by China's top prosecutor for swifter trials of "terrorists, religious extremists and makers of firearms and explosives" in the troubled region of Xinjiang threatens to fuel abuse of suspects' rights, a human rights group said Friday.
As China cracks down harshly on extremist groups in the wake of attacks in the resource-rich region bordering central Asia, state media Thursday reported the country's top prosecutor as urging that such cases be "fast-tracked."
But rights activists say Chinese authorities extend very little leeway to the accused in politicized cases, including terrorism cases, and hastening such trials opens the door to more abuses.