Zhou Yongkang charged with bribery, abuse of power, intentional disclosure of state secrets

Zhou Yongkang was charged with bribery, abuse of power and intentional disclosure of state secrets, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said on Friday.

The indictment was brought in on Friday by the Tianjin Municipal People's Procuratorate No. 1 branch to the Tianjin Municipal No. 1 Intermediate People's Court.

Zhou, 73, served as deputy general manager of China National Petroleum Corporation, secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Sichuan Provincial Committee, and member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee while minister of public security and state councilor.

He also served as member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee.

Zhou took the advantage of his posts to offer interests to others and illegally accepted a huge amount of money and property, according to the indictment.

Zhou's abuse of power resulted in grave losses of public property and interests of the country and the people. The social impact was "bad" and his act was "particularly serious," according to the indictment.

He also intentionally disclosed state secrets and his act was "particularly serious," according to the indictment.

Prosecutors informed the defendant Zhou Yongkang of his litigation rights, interrogated him and heard opinions of his lawyers, according to the SPP's statement.

The Tianjin procuratorate brought in the prosecution according to the law after the SPP completed its investigation into Zhou's case, the statement said.