No mercy for the corrupt

If corrupt officials are shown undeserved leniency during sentencing, it will shake the general public's confidence in the battle against the social evil, and it will set a bad precedent for future penalties.

A document, jointly published on Thursday by the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate, further clarifies in detail on what conditions corrupt officials can expect a lighter sentence.

The document points to the tendency of "too much leniency" shown while meting out penalties for former officials, convicted of taking bribes or embezzling public fund in recent years.