China Sentences Ex-Security Czar For Corruption

02:35

June 11, 2015

Zhou Yongkang, the then Chinese Communist Party Politburo Standing Committee member in charge of security, raises his hand to show approval for a work report during the closing ceremony for the 18th Communist Party Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on Nov. 14, 2012. (Lee Jin-man/AP)

A court in China has sentenced the country's ex-security czar to life in prison for corruption. The highest-level graft trial in six decades of communist rule was held in secret.

Zhou Yongkang was convicted of taking more than $20 million in bribes, abusing his power and - the reason the trial was held behind closed doors - leaking state secrets.

Zhou's case breaks a longstanding political taboo against prosecuting China's highest-ranking leaders. NPR's Anthony Kuhn joins Here & Now's Robin Young with details.

Guest

Anthony Kuhn, international correspondent for NPR. He tweets @afkuhn.

This segment aired on June 11, 2015.