Gu Kailai Trial: 'The Atmosphere Has Been Very, Very Bizarre'

August 09, 2012 from Telegraph.co.uk

The trial of Gui Kailai, wife of Chinese politician Bo Xilai, may have lasted just one day, but Chinese authorities nevertheless mounted a massive security operation for the hearing. Hundreds of uniformed and plain-clothed police and security guards were deployed around the Hefei Intermediate People's Court, and foreign press were barred from entering the building. Media coverage within China has also been restricted, with authorities blocking any online searches for the names of those involved.

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Gu Kailai

Gu Kailai is the wife of disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai. On August 20, 2012 she was found guilty of the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood and given a death sentence, suspended for two years. Her sentence is expected to be commuted to life imprisonment. Explore this topic

Bo Xilai

Bo Xilai is a former Chinese politician. He came to prominence through his tenures as the mayor of Dalian and then governor of Liaoning province. From 2004 to November 2007, he served as Minister of Commerce. Between 2007 and 2012 he served as a member of the Central Politburo... Explore this topic

Neil Heywood

Neil Heywood was a British businessman who worked in China. He was associated with Bo Xilai, the former Communist Party of China Committee Secretary for Chongqing and a member of the Chinese Politburo. Heywood was found dead in his hotel room in Chongqing, and the initial offi... Explore this topic

Hefei

Hefei is the capital and largest city of Anhui Province in Eastern China. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, and cultural centre of Anhui. Located in the central portion of the province, it borders Huainan to the north, Chuzhou to the northeast, Chaohu to ... Explore this topic

China

China, officially the People's Republic of China, is a sovereign state located in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population of over 1.35 billion. The PRC is a single-party state governed by the Communist Party, with its seat of government in the cap... Explore this topic

Intermediate people's court

An intermediate people's court is the second lowest local people's court in the People's Republic of China. According to the Organic Law of the People's Courts of the People's Republic of China, the intermediate people's courts handle relevant important local cases in the firs... Explore this topic

Communist Party of China

The Communist Party of China, also known as the Chinese Communist Party, is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China. Although nominally it exists alongside the United Front, a coalition of governing political parties, in practice, the CPC is t... Explore this topic

Trial

In law, a trial is a coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court. The tribunal, which may occur before a judge, jury, or other designated tr... Explore this topic

Police

The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by the state to enforce the law, protect property, and limit civil disorder. Their powers include the legitimized use of force. The term is most commonly associated with police services of a state that are authorized to ex... Explore this topic

Security guard

A security officer is a person who is paid to protect property, assets, or people. Security guards are usually privately and formally employed civilian personnel. Security officers are generally uniformed and act to protect property by maintaining a high visibility presence to... Explore this topic

Also See

Gu Kailai

Bo Xilai

Neil Heywood