Xinjiang official on corruption charges after ‘lavish wedding for son’

Former mayor of Kashgar in China’s far west to be handed over to prosecutors for series of alleged offences going back a decade

Enwaer Tursun also accused of taking bribes in return for promotions and project approvals

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Communist Party investigators have handed Enwaer Tursun’s case over to prosecutors. Photo: Weibo

Published: 9:45pm, 8 Jun 2020Updated: 9:45pm, 8 Jun 2020

A former mayor of a city in China’s far western region of Xinjiang has been expelled from the Communist Party and is expected to face trial over various alleged corruption offences stretching back more than a decade.

Enwaer Tursun, 54, the head of “united front” operations in the Uygur-majority prefecture of Kashgar, has been accused of serious violations of party discipline and national law, euphemisms for corruption.

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, China’s top anti-corruption watchdog, said on Monday that Tursun had “lost faith in [Communist] ideology, was dishonest with the party, and had refused to implement the important decisions and measures of the central [leadership]”.

The commission accused him of violating a set of rules on frugal lifestyle for cadres “hosting an extravagant wedding for his son that was beyond the permissible standards”.

According to the commission, Tursun’s alleged crimes also involved taking bribes in return for job promotions and project approvals.

His case would be handed over to prosecutors, the commission said.