China's former railways minister's death sentence commuted to life

BEIJING - The reprieved death sentence of former railways minister Liu Zhijun was commuted to life in prison by Beijing Higher People's Court on Monday.

The Second Intermediate People's Court of Beijing sentenced Liu to death with a two-year reprieve in July 2013 for bribery and abuse of power.

Liu has been incarcerated in Qincheng Prison since August 2013. The penitentiary last month proposed that Liu's sentence be commuted to life in prison for good behavior during the two-year period.

In China, criminals may escape the death penalty should they commit no intentional crime during the reprieve period.

Although his sentence has been reduced, all other aspects stand. He will remain deprived of political rights for life and all his personal property must be confiscated.

Liu accepted 64.6 million yuan (10.53 million US dollars) in bribes from 11 people in exchange for promotions, project deals and contracts from 1986 to 2011 when he worked in local railway bureaus and the former railway ministry.