Former Beijing vice mayor appeals against suspended death penalty

BEIJING, Oct.28 (Chinese media) -- Former Beijing vice mayor Liu Zhihua has lodged

an appeal against his death sentence with a two-year reprieve after being

convicted on corruption charges, one-day before the appeal deadline, said his

lawyer Mo Shaoping on Tuesday.

Liu, 59, was convicted and sentenced at Hengshui Intermediate People's

Court, in Hebei Province neighboring Beijing, on Oct. 18 and he lodged his

appeal at the same court on Monday.

He was found guilty of taking bribes totaling 6.97 million yuan (1.02

million U.S. dollars) when he was vice mayor and director of the management

committee of Zhongguancun Science Park from 1999 to2006.

In his appeal statement, Liu claimed that as the former construction

director of the 2008 Olympic projects, his useful advice on their planning and

construction was a "contribution" to the Olympics, and thus grounds for

leniency.

He claimed the confiscation of all his personal assets, including a bank

account with 200,000 yuan and his apartment, was improper as they were lawfully

earned.

The court ruling said Liu and his mistress Wang Jianrui had accepted bribes

offered in return for contracts, loans and promotions, which Liu had the

authority to grant.

Liu was removed from the post of Beijing vice mayor in June 2006 and

expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) six months later.

He had been head of the Beijing labor bureau, secretary of the CPC

Committee of Xicheng District and secretary general of the municipal government.

In 1999, he was elected vice mayor, with authority over construction, real

estate, sport and transport projects.