Tiger-pic farmer's jail term commuted

Zhou Zhenglong, the farmer who was found guilty of faking photographs of an endangered species of tiger in the wild had his jail term commuted to two -and-a-half years with a three-year reprieve during an appeal yesterday in Shaanxi province. He was also fined 2,000 yuan ($300).

On Sept 27, the People's court in Xunyang county, sentenced Zhou, 54, to two-and-a-half years in prison and fined him 2,000 yuan, after finding him guilty of fraud and illegal possession of a gun.

His appeal hearing began at 8:30 am at the Ankang intermediate people's court and lasted more than 10 hours, as the judges summoned 17 witnesses.