URUMQI: Authorities in聽Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region confirmed Wednesday that innocent civilians accounted for 156 of the 197 deaths in the Urumqi riot a month ago. 聽 聽
Twelve others were shot while committing violence or criminal activities. The identities of the remainder deaths have yet to be determined. 聽 聽
Hou also denied foreign media report聽that an associate professor of the ethnic Uygur at聽Beijing's Minzu University聽has been聽detained聽in connection with聽the Urumqi riot. 聽 聽
"Further investigations show no teaching staff of ethnic Uygurs has been interrogated in connection with the Urumqi unrest on July 5," said Hou.聽聽
According to Chen Zhuangwei, head銆�of the Public Security Department of銆�Urumqi, 718 people have been detained who are suspected of involvement in the July 5 riot, which left 197 people dead and more than 1,600 injured. 聽
Eighty three people had been arrested聽in connection with聽the riot, said Procurator Utiku'er Abudrehman of the People's聽Procuratorate of Urumqi City Tuesday.