- Fu Zhenghua, who formerly served as China’s Minister of Justice, has been sentenced to prison for accepting bribes.
- A court in Changchun handed down a death sentence on him on Thursday.
- His conviction is part of an abrupt crackdown on officials that is taking place in the run-up to a major meeting of the Communist Party.
Fu Zhenghua, who formerly served as China’s Minister of Justice and spearheaded several anti-corruption initiatives, has been sentenced to prison for accepting bribes.
In July, Fu entered a guilty plea to the charge that he used gifts and money totaling 117 million yuan ($14.7 million; $16.5 million) for his own benefit.
A court in Changchun handed down a death sentence on him on Thursday, but it will be commuted to a sentence of life in prison after just two years.
His conviction is part of an abrupt crackdown on officials that is taking place in the run-up to a major meeting of the Communist Party that will take place in one month.
The Chinese government’s ruling party organises and hosts this event once every five years. This time, it seems likely that President Xi Jinping will win a historic third term, which will further solidify his hold on power.
This week, three additional former provincial police chiefs have already been taken into custody and sentenced to jail time. On Thursday, Fu will become one of them. Not only are all four of these men accused of being dishonest, but they are also accused of not being loyal to Mr. Xi.
It is believed that all of them were members of a political circle that was directed by an additional former security figurehead named Sun Lijun. It is said that Sun, who is currently awaiting his sentence, created his own political faction by assisting other officials in the security apparatus in advancing their careers. Sun is currently in custody.
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