北京最高法院:薄谷開來由死緩減爲無期徒刑

A court in the Chinese capital Beijing has commuted the suspended death sentence of Gu Kailai, wife of disgraced former Politburo member Bo Xilai, to life in prison. The court said Gu showed repentance and "did not commit any crimes" in jail.

中國北京市最高法院依法作出裁定，將罪犯薄谷開來（名譽掃地的前政治局委員薄熙來的妻子）死刑緩期二年執行的刑罰減爲無期徒刑。該法院表示，谷開來在死刑緩期二年服刑期間，有悔改表現，並“無任何故意犯罪記錄。”

Gu was sentenced in 2012 for murdering British businessman Neil Heywood. Her husband was jailed for life in 2013 for corruption and abuse of power. The cases were China's biggest political scandal in years.

谷開來因謀殺英國商人尼爾·伍德於2012年被判處死刑。她的丈夫因腐敗和濫用職權，2013年被判入獄。薄熙來的案件是中國多年來最大的政治醜聞。

The statement was dated 11 December but released only on Monday. It added that she had "obeyed discipline", and "completed labour tasks in a timely manner". As a result she was "eligible for the legal conditions for a commutation".

12月11日北京市高級人民法院已經作出了裁定，但直到週一（12月14日）纔對外宣佈。在公示中還說，谷開來“遵守紀律”，並“按時完成勞動任務”。所以她“有資格獲得減刑的法律條件”。

Gu's case sparked the series of events which brought down her high-flying husband. Bo Xilai was removed as Communist Party boss of the important metropolis of Chongqing in south-western China, and from the Politburo, which makes key party decisions, in 2012.

谷開來的案件像一個導火線，引起了一系列事件，並把她青雲直上的丈夫薄熙來拉下了馬。2012年，薄熙來被免去中國西南部重要中心城市重慶市市委書記的職務，並停止擔任制定黨的重要決策的中央政治局委員。