URUMQI, China (AP) — A prominent Muslim Uighur scholar being tried on separatism charges told a court in far western China that he never advocated the overthrow of Chinese rule in his native Xinjiang, according to his lawyer.

Attorney Liu Xiaoyuan said government critic and former Beijing economics professor Ilham Tohti addressed the court for about 90 minutes on Thursday afternoon before the two-day trial ended. There was no immediate verdict.