北京最高法院:薄谷开来由死缓减为无期徒刑

A court in the Chinese capital Beijing has commuted the suspended death sentence of Gu Kailai, wife of disgraced former Politburo member Bo Xilai, to life in prison. The court said Gu showed repentance and "did not commit any crimes" in jail.

中国北京市最高法院依法作出裁定，将罪犯薄谷开来（名誉扫地的前政治局委员薄熙来的妻子）死刑缓期二年执行的刑罚减为无期徒刑。该法院表示，谷开来在死刑缓期二年服刑期间，有悔改表现，并“无任何故意犯罪记录。”

Gu was sentenced in 2012 for murdering British businessman Neil Heywood. Her husband was jailed for life in 2013 for corruption and abuse of power. The cases were China's biggest political scandal in years.

谷开来因谋杀英国商人尼尔·伍德于2012年被判处死刑。她的丈夫因腐败和滥用职权，2013年被判入狱。薄熙来的案件是中国多年来最大的政治丑闻。

The statement was dated 11 December but released only on Monday. It added that she had "obeyed discipline", and "completed labour tasks in a timely manner". As a result she was "eligible for the legal conditions for a commutation".

12月11日北京市高级人民法院已经作出了裁定，但直到周一（12月14日）才对外宣布。在公示中还说，谷开来“遵守纪律”，并“按时完成劳动任务”。所以她“有资格获得减刑的法律条件”。

Gu's case sparked the series of events which brought down her high-flying husband. Bo Xilai was removed as Communist Party boss of the important metropolis of Chongqing in south-western China, and from the Politburo, which makes key party decisions, in 2012.

谷开来的案件像一个导火线，引起了一系列事件，并把她青云直上的丈夫薄熙来拉下了马。2012年，薄熙来被免去中国西南部重要中心城市重庆市市委书记的职务，并停止担任制定党的重要决策的中央政治局委员。