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Chinese prosecutors said no leniency should be shown as the trial of former top politician Bo Xilai ended.
Bo Xilai’s crimes were serious and he had not shown remorse, the prosecution said, so leniency was not called for.
The disgraced politician, meanwhile, continued to deny charges against him and said his police chief tried to defect because he was in love with his wife, Gu Kailai.
The five-day trial adjourned after closing statements, with the verdict expected “at a date to be decided”.
The former Communist Party chief in the mega-city of Chongqing denies bribery, corruption and abuse of power.
On Sunday, the former high-flier launched a scathing attack on Wang Lijun, his former police chief whose flight to the US consulate in February 2012 led to a fresh investigation into the death of British businessman Neil Heywood.
Bo Xilai’s wife, Gu Kailai, has since been convicted of the murder of Neil Heywood, and the abuse of power charge against the former politician relates to his role in attempting to conceal her crime, the court has heard.
Foreign media are not allowed into the trial, but the court in the eastern city of Jinan has been posting regular updates on China’s micro-blogging site Weibo (in Mandarin).
This is China’s most politically charged trial in decades. Bo Xilai had been seen as a candidate for the highest levels of office until his fall from grace. He is widely expected to be found guilty.
When court resumed at 08:30 on Monday, the prosecution made its closing statement.
Chinese prosecutors said no leniency should be shown as the trial of former top politician Bo Xilai ended
“The defendant’s crimes are extremely grave, and he also refuses to admit guilt,” an official transcript read.
“As such, the circumstances do not call for a lenient punishment but a severe one, in accordance with the law.”
The prosecutors’ statement was posted on the court’s microblog and then taken down, before being reposted without a sentence that referred to Bo Xilai acting on the orders of “superiors” in obtaining a fake medical certificate for Wang Lijun.
Bo Xilai then gave a statement to the court in which, according to the official transcript, he blamed Wang’s flight to the US consulate on the fact that he had been in love with Gu Kailai and feared Bo’s reaction.
He also defended his right to deny charges in court, saying he wrote previous confessions under pressure because he hoped by doing so he could stay in the Communist Party and keep his political career alive.
On Sunday the 64-year-old characterized Wang Lijun’s testimony as “full of lies and fraud”.
Wang, who has been convicted of crimes related to the Neil Heywood murder cover-up, told the court on Saturday that Bo Xilai hit him when he told him his wife was a suspect in the killing.
“He suddenly struck me with his fist and hit my left ear. It was not merely a slap… I found the corner of my mouth was bleeding,” court reporting of Wang Lijun’s testimony said.
Bo Xilai has also denied receiving bribes from two Dalian-based businessmen and embezzling funds at his trial.
“On the matter of abuse of office, I made mistakes, this reflected badly on the image of the party and the state. I feel sorry for that,” Bo Xilai told the court on Saturday.
“However I do think the charges against me exaggerated my role in these incidents,” he added.
Two years ago Bo Xilai was seen as a candidate for promotion to the Politburo Standing Committee, China’s top decision-making body.
But in February 2012, as the country prepared for its once-in-a-decade leadership handover, questions emerged over the death of Neil Heywood. Gu Kailai is said to have killed him over a business deal gone wrong.
Bo Xilai’s downfall was seen as the biggest political shake-up to hit China’s ruling elite in decades.
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Bo Xilai has dismissed testimony from his wife, Gu Kailai, at his trial, saying she was unstable and had been coerced.
Video footage and written testimony from Gu Kailai, who was convicted last year of the murder of Neil Heywood, was posted on the court’s official microblog.
In it she said she felt Neil Heywood was a threat to her son, Bo Guagua.
Gu Kailai also spoke of receiving gifts from a Dalian entrepreneur, Xu Ming, from whom Bo Xilai is accused of taking bribes.
Bo Xilai, the former Chongqing Communist Party chief, is accused of bribery, corruption and abuse of power.
On Thursday he denied bribery, saying he had been forced into admitting it to prosecutors, and rubbished testimony from witnesses including his wife.
Of Gu Kailai’stestimony on Friday, Bo Xilai reportedly said: “In her unstable mental state, prosecutors put pressure on her so she would turn on me.”
Foreign media are not being allowed into the trial, which is taking place in the city of Jinan in Shandong province.
Analysts say the trial is as much about getting rid of a popular politician as it is about criminal wrongdoing. Bo Xilai is widely expected to be found guilty.
Bo Xilai has dismissed testimony from his wife, Gu Kailai, at his trial, saying she was unstable and had been coerced
Bo Xilai’s downfall was seen as the biggest political shake-up to hit China’s ruling elite in decades. In February 2012 his police chief, Wang Lijun, fled to the US consulate in Chengdu amid an apparent fall-out with Bo Xilai.
Shortly afterwards, Chinese authorities announced that they were reinvestigating the death of Neil Heywood, who died in a Chongqing hotel in November 2011.
Gu Kailai has since been jailed for the murder of Neil Heywood – a crime she carried out, state media say, because of differences over a business deal.
In written testimony to the court, she said she believed that the personal safety of her son “was under threat”.
“In the second half of 2011 Guagua made a video call to me on his iPad telling me that Neil Heywood threatened him,” she said. Subsequent e-mails between the two scared her, she said.
“After the video call I was very worried which led to the 15 November crime [when Neil Heywood was killed].”
Written testimony from Patrick Devillers, a French architect, meanwhile, pointed to conflict between Gu Kailai and Neil Heywood over a financial deal related to a villa in France that has been a focus of the bribery charges.
It was paid for by Xu Ming, the court heard on Thursday, one of two men from whom Bo Xilai is accused of receiving bribes totalling 21.8 million yuan ($3.56 million).
In her video testimony Gu Kailai said it was true that Xu Ming had bought things for her and her son, Bo Guagua.
“When we need to book a flight, family members know to ask from Xu Ming,” she said.
Bo Xilai, responding to his wife’s testimony, is reported to have said: “How much credibility is there are about Bo Gu Kailai’s testimony, and her written material? Bo Gu Kailai has changed and she became crazy and lies all the time.”
It is not clear how long the trial will last. Bo Xilai is the last major player in connection with the Neil Heywood case to face judicial proceedings.
His son, Bo Guagua, remains in the US, where earlier this week he said any verdict would carry no moral weight if his “well-being has been bartered for my father’s acquiescence or my mother’s further co-operation”.
Bo Guagua also said his mother had been unwell since 2006, following a “sudden collapse of her physical health”.
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Chinese politician Bo Xilai has gone on trial on charges of bribery, corruption and abuse of power.
The former Chongqing Communist Party leader once tipped for the highest office is accused of accepting money from two businessmen, the court said. Bo Xilai has so far denied one charge.
The abuse of power charge relates to his wife’s role in the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood, the court said.
Bo Xilai’s trial is China’s most politically-charged in decades.
Two years ago the 64-year-old high-flier was seen as a candidate for promotion to the Politburo Standing Committee, China’s seven-member top decision-making body.
But in February 2012, as China prepared for its once-in-a-decade leadership handover, questions emerged over the death of Neil Heywood.
Bo Xilai’s wife, Gu Kailai, has since been convicted of Neil Heywood’s murder. Bo Xilai faces multiple charges and is widely expected to be found guilty.
His downfall was seen as the biggest political shake-up to hit China’s ruling elite in decades.
The trial – which started at 08:30 – is taking place at the Intermediate People’s Court in Jinan, which is in Shandong province. The court is providing an account of proceedings on its official microblog.
“I hope the judge will try this case fairly and justly according to the law of the country,” Bo Xilai reportedly said.
Five of Bo Xilai’s relatives are said to be in court, along with 19 journalists and 84 other people. Foreign journalists have not been allowed in.
Bo Xilai has gone on trial on charges of bribery, corruption and abuse of power
According to the indictment posted by the court, Bo Xilai is accused of receiving bribes totalling 21.8 million yuan ($3.56 million) from two Dalian-based businessmen.
The court microblog quoted Bo Xilai as saying about one of the cases: “That Tang Xiaolin gave me three bribes – that did not happen. He asked me to help him sort out something, and these were all done according to procedure.”
Bo Xilai said he had admitted this “against his will” under questioning, adding: “What I meant was that I was willing to take the legal responsibility but I had no idea of all these details back then.”
The abuse of power charge is connected to his wife’s role in Neil Heywood’s murder and his treatment of Wang Lijun, his now-jailed former police chief whose flight to the US consulate brought the case out into the open, the court indictment said.
Hearings would last two days, CCTV said in a tweet, with a verdict “likely in early September”.
Security was tight at the court, with police blocking the gates and lining roads leading up to it.
As party leader in Chongqing, Bo Xilai was seen as a powerful, populist and charismatic figure.
He was known for two high-profile campaigns: a large-scale crackdown on crime and a drive to promote China’s old communist values. But analysts said his ambition earned him enemies and he was considered controversial by top party leaders.
In February 2012, around the time that China was preparing to promote a new generation of leaders, his police chief, Wang Lijun, fled to the US consulate in Chengdu amid an apparent fall-out with Bo Xilai.
Shortly afterwards, Chinese authorities announced that they were reinvestigating the death of Neil Heywood, and both Bo Xilai and his wife disappeared from public view.
Gu Kailai has since been jailed for the murder of Neil Heywood – a crime she carried out, state media say, because of differences over a business deal. Wang has also been jailed for his role in covering up events, among other charges.
Bo Xilai is the last major player in connection with the case to face trial. Interest has been intense, with many Chinese microbloggers speaking out.
Most expressed skepticism about the proceedings, judging the trial merely a political show. Nevertheless a large number still believe Bo Xilai has a case to answer when it comes to corruption and abuse of power.
Herkuang in Shanghai says: “This Bo Xilai trial thing is merely a procedural thing. Those [party] elders have already made up their minds on what to sentence him with… Just watch the end result.”
But some of comments about Bo Xilai and his alleged conduct were dripping with sarcasm. “What a clean official! Just one count of bribe-taking in 30 years as a civil servant?” Li Zhiqiang, law lecturer at Lanzhou University, said.
Other internet users were more complimentary, however. One user, “Small Town Girl”, said ahead of the trial: “Looking at him from a rational perspective, he made contributions to the people of Dalian and Chongqing.”
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Bo Guagua, the son of disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai, says he hopes his father will be allowed to defend himself “without constraints” at his upcoming trial.
In a statement to the New York Times, Bo Guagua said he had been denied contact with his parents for 18 months.
Bo Xilai – a former party high-flier – goes on trial on Thursday charged with bribery, corruption and abuse of power.
He was expelled from the Communist Party amid a scandal over the murder of a British businessman, Neil Heywood.
Bo Xilai’s wife, Gu Kailai, was jailed in August 2012 for the killing of Neil Heywood, reportedly over a deal gone wrong.
The scandal led to a shake-up at the very top of China’s political elite in the months preceding a once-in-a-decade leadership handover.
Bo Guagua, who was studying in the US when the scandal unfolded, has since kept a low profile.
“It has been 18 months since I have been denied contact with either my father or my mother. I can only surmise the conditions of their clandestine detention and the adversity they each endure in solitude,” he said in a statement to the New York Times.
Bo Guagua hopes his father Bo Xilai will be allowed to defend himself at his upcoming trial
“I hope that in my father’s upcoming trial, he is granted the opportunity to answer his critics and defend himself without constraints of any kind.”
“However, if my well-being has been bartered for my father’s acquiescence or my mother’s further co-operation, then the verdict will clearly carry no moral weight.”
Some reports have suggested that Gu Kailai may testify against her husband at the trial.
There has been speculation that both the parents agreed to demands from Chinese officials in return for a guarantee that their son would not be pursued.
Bo Guagua also spoke out in defense of his mother, describing her as “silenced and defenseless” and voicing concern about her state of health.
“She has already overcome unimaginable tribulation after the sudden collapse of her physical health in 2006 and subsequent seclusion,” he said.
State media, in reports of Gu Kailai’s trial, said she attributed her actions to a breakdown.
Bo Guagua last released a statement in September, saying he found the allegations against his father hard to believe.
He is soon to begin studying law in New York, he confirmed to the New York Times.
The scandal emerged after Bo Xilai’s police chief, Wang Lijun, fled to the US consulate in February 2012.
A month later, Bo Xilai was removed from his post as party chief in Chongqing and then stripped of his Communist Party posts as his wife was investigated for the murder of Neil Heywood.
Gu Kailai was subsequently convicted of poisoning the businessman to death and is in prison, as is the police chief, Wang Lijun, for abuse of power related to the subsequent cover-up.
Bo Xilai, meanwhile, has not been seen in public since March 2012.
He goes on trial on Thursday in the city of Jinan accused of taking advantage of his office to accept money and property, as well as embezzling public money.
Most political analysts believe that the outcome of the trial has already been decided and that Bo Xilai will almost certainly be found guilty.
Chinese politician Bo Xilai will go on trial on Thursday, August 22, being charged with bribery, corruption and abuse of power, according to state media.
Bo Xilai, formerly the Communist Party chief of Chongqing, was expelled from the party after a scandal surrounding the murder of a British businessman.
His wife Gu Kailai was jailed last August for the killing of Neil Heywood.
The Bo Xilai scandal rocked China with claims of corruption at the top of the Communist Party.
Bo Xilai has been accused of taking advantage of his office to accept money and property, as well as embezzling public money.
Bo Xilai will go on trial on August 22 being charged with bribery, corruption and abuse of power
The trial will start on Thursday morning at the Intermediate People’s Court in the eastern city of Jinan, Shandong province, state-run news agency Xinhua said.
Correspondents say it is common for high-profile political trials to take place away from their home province to stop them getting beneficial treatment.
The trial date comes amid a high-profile crackdown on corruption.
Xinhua news agency also reported on Sunday that Liu Tienan, a former top Communist Party economic official, has been placed under investigation for suspected bribe taking.
Bo Xilai’s fall began in February 2012, when his former chief of police in Chongqing, Wang Lijun, briefly fled to the US consulate in Chengdu.
Wang Lijun, who has since been jailed for 15 years, triggered an investigation into the murder of UK businessman Neil Heywood.
Gu Kailai has been convicted and given a suspended death sentence for Neil Heywood’s death.
Bo Xilai was suspected of trying to cover up the murder, and was stripped of his party positions.
Disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai has been charged with bribery, corruption and abuse of power, state media say.
Bo Xilai, formerly the Communist Party chief of Chongqing, was expelled from the party after a scandal surrounding the murder of a British businessman.
His wife Gu Kailai was jailed in August for the killing of the Briton, Neil Heywood.
Bo Xilai was charged by prosecutors on Thursday in Jinan in Shandong province, state media said.
The Bo Xilai scandal, which exposed corruption claims and infighting at the top of the Communist Party, was one of the biggest to rock China in years.
Bo Xilai had taken advantage of his office to accept an “extremely large amount” of money and properties, state-run news agency Xinhua said, citing the indictment paper.
He is also charged with embezzling public money, Xinhua said.
The sending of the formal indictment to a court in the city of Jinan suggests the trial is now imminent.
Bo Xilai has been charged with bribery, corruption and abuse of power
However, no trial date has been announced yet.
Bo Xilai was previously considered a rising star in the Communist Party, and one of the country’s most powerful officials.
However, he came under criticism after his former police chief, Wang Lijun, fled to the US consulate in Chengdu in February 2012, spending a day there.
Wang Lijun made allegations about British businessman Neil Heywood’s death while at the consulate, reports said.
Neil Heywood had died in Chongqing the previous year. The Wang Lijun incident prompted an investigation into his death.
Bo Xilai was suspected of trying to cover up the murder, and was stripped of his party positions.
His wife Gu Kailai was charged with Neil Heywood’s murder, and given a suspended death sentence, which is usually commuted to life imprisonment in China.
Wang Lijun, meanwhile, was jailed for 15 years for defection, power abuse and bribe taking.
Bo Xilai was popular in his role as party chief in Chongqing.
He was known for two high-profile campaigns: a large-scale crackdown on crime, and a drive to promote China’s old communist values.
Despite his charisma, his penchant for the limelight set him apart from other Chinese politicians.
According to analysts, Bo Xilai’s ambition and flamboyant style earned him enemies and was considered controversial by party leaders.
Bo Xilai’s populist brand of Maoist nostalgia, such as his encouragement of the public singing of old communist songs, was seen as dangerous by China’s more reform-minded leaders.
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Silvio Berlusconi has been convicted and sentenced to a year in jail over an illegal wiretap.
Italy’s former prime minister was accused of arranging for a police wiretap concerning a political rival to be leaked and published in a newspaper run by his brother.
Silvio Berlusconi is likely to appeal and will remain free in the meantime.
He is presently appealing against another conviction and faces two more verdicts in the coming weeks.
One of the rulings expected later this month is about tax fraud, and the other trial concerns allegations that Silvio Berlusconi paid for sex with an underage prostitute.
There is no real prospect of Silvio Berlusconi going to jail, but the conviction is another very serious blow to his reputation.
It comes weeks after his right-wing coalition did better than expected in a general election, and is expected to form a major bloc in the next parliament.
Silvio Berlusconi has been convicted and sentenced to a year in jail over an illegal wiretap
In October last year, Silvio Berlusconi was convicted in another tax fraud case and sentenced to a year in jail.
That conviction is currently subject to an appeal.
Prosecutors brought the wiretap case after a transcript of a phone conversation intercepted by the authorities was published in the newspaper Il Giornale, owned by Silvio Berlusconi’s brother Paolo.
The conversation took place between the head of insurer Unipol and Piero Fassino, who was the leader of the biggest centre-left party and Silvio Berlusconi’s biggest political rival at the time.
Unipol was trying to take over BNL bank in 2005. Magistrates had ordered the wiretap as part of an investigation into inappropriate interference in the takeover.
The publication of the transcript in a national newspaper broke secrecy rules, and Silvio Berlusconi was accused of obtaining the transcript from the wiretap company used by magistrates.
In numerous trials over the years, Silvio Berlusconi has been accused of charges including accounting fraud, perjury, bribery, corruption, having unlawful sex with a minor, and fraud over the sale of film rights.
Silvio Berlusconi says he is the target of a vendetta by politically biased prosecutors. He has denied all the accusations against him and has either been acquitted or let off under statutes of limitations.
