China: Two former defence ministers sentenced to death with reprieve in corruption case
Two former Chinese defence ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, have been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve by a military court on corruption charges.
A statement published by Xinhua said Wei was found guilty of accepting bribery, while Li was found guilty of both accepting and offering bribes.
The statement did not specify the amount involved.
Both men were also given deprivation of political rights for life and had all personal property confiscated.
After the two-year reprieve period, their sentences would be commuted to life imprisonment without the possibility of commutation or parole.
The ruling is among the harshest penalties imposed on senior military officers since Xi Jinping launched his anti-corruption campaign in 2012.
It marks a major judicial action involving two of the most senior figures to be targeted in that drive.
Wei and Li both served as defence ministers, making the case significant for China's military leadership and for the wider anti-corruption effort inside the armed forces.
The statement gave no further detail on the timing of the court proceedings or whether either man had responded publicly to the verdict.
