China’s ex- security czar charged with graft
The Communist Party of China charged 73- year- old Zhou, making him the seniormost official to face trial in over three decades as part of the anticorruption drive
Breaking decades- old practice of not prosecuting retired top communist party leaders, China on Friday charged its former security czar Zhou Yongkang with bribery, abuse of power and leaking state secrets, capping President Xi Jinping’s anti- corruption drive against “tigers and flies”.
The ruling Communist Party of China charged 73year- old Zhou, making him the seniormost official to face trial in over three decades.
Dubbed as a security czar for holding the post of the national security chief under previous President Hu Jintao administration — the powerful post which enabled him to keep a tab on the CPC including its top brass, Zhou will face trial at a court in the neighbouring Tianjin city, about 120 km from here.
The indictment against him was filed before the Tianjin Municipal No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court on Friday by top Chinese prosecution agency, Supreme People’s Procuratorate, state- run Xinhua news agency reported.
The prosecutors accused him of taking advantage of his posts to “offer interests to others” and illegally accepted a huge amount of money and properties, the report quoted the indictment as saying.
Zhou’s abuse of power resulted in grave losses of public property and interests of the country and the people. The social impact was “bad” and his act was “particularly serious”, the indictment said.
He also intentionally disclosed state secrets, it said. During his expulsion from the CPC in 2014, he was accused of trading power for sex and leaking secrets.
Prosecutors informed Zhou of his litigation rights, interrogated him and heard opinions of his lawyers, it said. His trial was expected to start soon.
Observers say considering the gravity of charges, he could get suspended death sentence.