China hands suspended death sentences to former defense ministers for corruption

China’s military court has sentenced former defense ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu to death with a two-year reprieve on corruption charges, according to state media and the Ministry of National Defense.

Xinhua reported that Wei was convicted of accepting bribes, while Li was convicted of both accepting and offering bribes. The report said both men were stripped of political rights for life and had their personal property confiscated.

The ministry republished the same ruling shortly after Xinhua’s report, and independent wire coverage from AP reported the same sentence.

A suspended death sentence in China is often commuted to life imprisonment after the reprieve period, AP reported. The ruling marks one of the most severe public anti-corruption punishments handed down against senior military figures in recent years.

Further official legal filings or appeal details had not been reported.