BEIJING, Aug 20: Britain’s embassy in China welcomed today the trial of Gu Kailai, wife of ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai, after news that she had been convicted but spared execution for murdering a British businessman.
The Chinese court’s sentencing decision, revealed by witnesses to the closed-door hearing, means that Gu will likely serve life in prison.
The embassy said it welcomed the “fact that the Chinese authorities have investigated the death of Neil Heywood, and tried those they identified as responsible”.
In an emailed statement, an embassy spokesman also said Britain had “consistently made clear to the Chinese authorities that we wanted to see the trials in this case conform to international human rights standards and for the death penalty not to be applied”.
The embassy statement did not comment specifically on the sentence against Gu, who was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for murdering Heywood last November. (agencies)
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel