2011-01-12 08:29

Crackdown in Chongqing led to 920 arrests and 1,335 prosecutions

CHONGQING - A total of 177 corrupt officials were sacked during last year's crackdown on mafia-style gangs in this southwestern municipality, a senior prosecutor said on Tuesday.

Among the officials punished in 2010, 87 were from local judicial departments, who were found to be providing protective umbrellas for, or receiving benefits from, the crime rings, Prosecutor-General of the municipality's high procuratorate Yu Min told the local people's congress.

The firings show the city's determination to eliminate corruption and organized crime, experts said.

A total of 920 people were arrested and 1,335 others were prosecuted last year for involvement with 46 criminal rings, Yu said, adding that the gangs' power had spread throughout various sectors, including construction, entertainment and transport.

Chongqing Higher People's Court President Qian Feng said 761 people were convicted in 65 cases related to organized crime. The figures respectively jumped by 118 percent and 140 percent over 2009, when the crackdown began.

None of the death sentences, which were sent to the Supreme People's Court in Beijing for examination as required, were rejected or ordered to undergo retrials, Qian said.

The crackdown stunned the nation. Former municipal bureau of justice chief Wen Qiang was sentenced to death for crimes that included protecting several gangs, while Beijing lawyer Li Zhuang received prison terms for fabricating evidence to save a gang boss.

"Chongqing's legal proceedings are largely rigorous and fair. But the procedures for lawyers meeting suspects need to be standardized citywide," local political consultative conference member Yi Chao said.

"In certain areas, such as Jiulongpo district, lawyers are not allowed to visit suspects without the officials handling the case present," Yi continued.

"Some authorities do not comply with the rule that lawyers can meet suspects within 48 hours after initial detentions. Some lawyers can't meet their clients after two months of detention."

Vice-President Xi Jinping and Minister of Public Security Meng Jianzhu praised Chongqing's cleanup of crime rings during their visits in 2010.

The Ministry of Public Security also listed crackdowns on the growing problem of organized crime as a primary component of its 2010 "intensive crackdown" campaign.