[JURIST] Chinese officials said Monday that they will prosecute former vice-chairman of the country’s top parliamentary advisory body Su Rong for graft, including taking bribes and selling ranks and titles. Su Rong was one of the 23 vice-chairmen of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference until authorities began an investigation last year. The ruling Communist Party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection [official website, in Chinese] said Su abused his power [South China Morning Post report] with personnel appointments, taking bribes and operating unidentified companies, causing great losses to state assets.

Since the appointment of President Xi Jinping in 2013, China’s campaign against corruption has intensified. In December the former head of China’s domestic security apparatus Zhou Yongkang [BBC profile] was arrested and expelled from the ruling Communist Party after being accused of accepting bribes, exploiting his power to enrich family members and leaking state secrets. Zhou was the highest ranking official to face criminal investigation for corruption. The detainment of anti-corruption activists has become a recurrent human rights issue in China. Last April a court sentenced [JURIST report] activists connected with New Citizens Movement [WSJ backgrounder] to jail for gathering a mob to disturb the public. The same month the Beijing Supreme People’s Court denied [JURIST report] New Citizens Movement founder Xu Zhiyong’s appeal, inciting harsh criticism from rights groups. Xu was formally indicted in December, after Beijing prosecutors received a letter from Chinese police officials urging [JURIST reports] the government to bring charges against Xu in early December.