Bo trial starts in China with confusion over his legal reps

The long-awaited trial of Chinese politician Bo Xilai - whose wife was last year convicted of the murder of the Briton Neil Heywood - starts on Thursday, according to state media.
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Bo Xilai was the party secretary of Chongqing - a city of over 29 million people Pavel Potseluev

The trial is expected to last only a day, with the judgment probably coming in a few weeks afterwards. Bo is thought likely to plead guilty to corruption, bribery and abuse of power charges. The former party secretary of Chongqing is to be represented by two lawyers, Li Guifang and Wang Zhaofeng. But, according to the Guardian, lawyers who were appointed by his relatives say 'they had not been permitted to represent him'.  

Confusion

There is some confusion as to whether Li Guifang was appointed by Bo himself or by the Beijing legal aid centre, a government-run organisation. Bo Xilai's wife was given a death sentence in her trial but it seems most likely that this has been changed to life imprisonment. Bo Xilai was one of the most powerful politicians in China. As party secretary of Chongqing, he was the most powerful man in a city of over 29 million people. 

 

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