Disgraced senior official faces raft of charges

Former Public Security Minister Zhou Yongkang reacts as he attends the Hebei delegation discussion sessions at the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing in this October 16, 2007 file photo. [Photo/Agencies]

Zhou Yongkang is charged with bribery, abuse of power, intentional disclose of State secrets.

Zhou is the highest-ranking official investigated in the fight against corruption since 1978, when China's reform and opening-up was launched.

In July, Zhou, who retired from the Politburo Standing Committee in 2012, was placed under investigation for suspected serious disciplinary violations by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

He was arrested in December, expelled from the Party and placed under investigation by the top prosecuting department, accused of a series of offenses, including accepting bribes and leaking State secrets.

Zhou Qiang, chief judge of the Supreme People's Court, said: "After prosecuting him, the court will handle Zhou's case in accordance with the law. No one is above the law."

Related: Supreme court voices support of decisions to handle Zhou Yongkang

The Supreme People's Court (SPC) on Monday supported the decisions to expel Zhou Yongkang from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and to arrest him.

The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on Friday decided to expel Zhou, a former Standing Committee member of the bureau, from the CPC and pass his case on to the judiciary.

Zhou Qiang, president of the SPC, stressed that the SPC supports the decisions, according to a statement issued after a meeting of the SPC on the decisions regarding Zhou's case.

The statement said the decisions uphold the principle that every person is equal before law, and will have a far-reaching impact on implementation of the rule of law. Judges must improve their work and combat judicial corruption.

The statement also said the SPC will change the judicial system to ensure that justice is felt in every case.