Two former Chinese defense ministers handed death sentence with reprieve for graft

BEIJING, May 7 -- Two former Chinese defense ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, were both sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve over graft charges on Thursday.

Their sentences were separately handed down by China's military court.

Both Wei and Li were also former members of the Central Military Commission and former state councilors.

According to the court rulings, Wei was convicted of the crime of accepting bribes, and Li was convicted of crimes of both accepting and offering bribes.

They were also stripped of their political rights for life, and all of their personal property will be confiscated.

The court rulings said that no further commutation or parole will be allowed after their penalties are commuted to life imprisonment in accordance with the law upon the expiration of the two-year reprieve period.