High-ranking police and judiciary official, Wen Qiang, was executed today in China for corruption and rape. Qiang was sentenced to death in April for abuse of power, corruption, and rape.
The Supreme People’s Court of China upheld the decision of the court in Chongqing province, rejecting the appeal of former official Qiang who was convicted of bribery, protecting criminal organizations, rape, and for illegally acquired assets of 10 million yuan. The court in Chongqing convicted him of taking bribes worth over 12 million yuan ($1.76 million) by assisting companies and business people in illegally obtaining profits. Wen served as the vice president of the Public Security Bureau in Chongqing province from 1992 to 2008, until he was arrested in September 2009.
He was also convicted of protecting the five largest criminal organizations in the province after taking bribes worth 760,000 yuan, as well as for raping a student in 2007. Wen was the highest-ranking official arrested in a massive crackdown on organized crime and corruption in Chongqing province last year. All his assets were confiscated, and his right to life was revoked. More than 90 local officials have been charged, and 42 have been found guilty. As part of the fight against organized crime and corruption, the court in Chongqing, a city of 30 million residents, has sentenced dozens of people to death or long prison terms in recent months. (Zlatko Salahović)
