Police officers jailed over torture deaths

Two policemen in Liaoning province have been jailed over the torture of two suspects who later died.

The Fushun Wanghua District Court sentenced Lu Zhaozhong, former interrogation director of the Public Security Bureau in Dandong city, and Li Maokun, former deputy director of the Dandong police patrol team, to two years and one year in jail respectively.

The two were involved in the interrogation of Zhou Jingzhu, a director of the Dandong Jingzhu Group in 2001, the district prosecutor was quoted as saying by the Shenyang-based Time Business. Li was in charge of the interrogation.

Li and Lu instructed their staff to 'stabilise' Zhou by tying his arms to the sides of an iron cage. Zhou remained in that position under a hot light for an extended period in early August 2001.

By August 16, Zhou was unable to hold pens or spoons, had to be fed, and had lost control of his bowels and bladder.

He died in the custody house one month later, the report said. According to a medical report, the nerves in Zhou's arms were seriously damaged and his death was caused by a heart attack.