Chinese authorities ruled the death penalty for 9 people on Thursday, as part of China's anti-terror drive against Muslim separatists in Xinjiang province, The Guardian reported.

Following the market bombing in Urumqi that killed at least 43 people last month, China has increased its security, and has already reportedly arrested some 300 people for suspicion of involvement in terrorist acts.

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According to a state-run media, CCTV, six different courts in Xinjiang sentenced 81 more people. Among them the 9 who were sentenced to death, and 3 who were given suspended sentences, which in most cases, are converted to life in prison.

The others were mostly given life in prison or lesser sentences.

Arson, murder, and organizing, leading or participating in terrorist organizations were just some of the charges filed by the court against the 81 arrested.

It was also announced that an additional 29 people were arrested under suspicion of committing terrorist crimes such as advocating separatism, Reuters has learned.

After the announcement of new security measures against separatist acts, China has reportedly arrested at least a few hundred people suspected for terrorist involvement and doled out harsh punishments, including mass sentencing and the death penalty, causing some to question whether human and legal rights are being violated.

Hong Kong University political scientist David Zweig speculates that the extreme of Beijing's security campaign may be attributed to China feeling threatened. That it could be its attempt to show that it still maintains its power through detaining and punishing hastily and harshly.

"They probably feel that if they go and arrest a lot of people very quickly and lock them up, that they might have a chance of breaking the cycle," he said.

Likewise, Human Rights Watch researcher Maya Wang thinks that the crackdown is mainly being fueled by China's attempt to "appear tough to reassure a frightened public, especially in Xinjiang."

Wang however, is wary that Beijing's brash method may cause more of the innocent people to be punished while the guilty remain free.

She adds that the method may also likely provoke more resentment among the Uighurs.

TagsXinjiang, separatist, extremist, Separatist movement, mass sentencing, David Zweig, Maya Wang, Human Rights, Human Rights Watch, life in prison, terror, bombing, Urumqi