CHINESE Uighur economist Ilham Tohti, who was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday, plans to appeal against his conviction, his lawyer Li Fangping revealed yesterday.

Mr Tohti cited what he called his improper detention and authorities’ refusal to give his lawyers copies of evidence against him.

He has denied prosecution charges that he encouraged separatism while speaking and writing about the discontent in his home province of Xinjiang.

A court in the provincial capital of Urumqi gave him life and ordered the confiscation of his possessions.

Mr Li said that his legal team had not decided yet when to submit the appeal, adding that Mr Tohti himself could do that from the court in Urumqi.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying dismissed overseas criticism of Mr Tohti’s case, urging countries including the US to abandon “double standards and stop interfering in China’s internal affairs.”