A former chairman of the government of China’s troubled northwest region of Xinjiang, an ethnic Uighur, has been arrested for graft, national prosecutors said on Tuesday.
Nur Bekri was the regional government’s chairman for seven years until 2014 — a period that was marked by a spate of deadly violence in the region, including riots.
Mr. Bekri later served as head of the National Energy Agency and deputy director of the country’s top economic planning office.
It is among the most high-profile cases in President Xi Jinping’s sweeping campaign against corruption in the Communist Party, which has ensnared 1.5 million officials.
Mr. Bekri had last month been been expelled from the Communist Party for “serious violations”.
The Central Commission for Disciplinary Inspection (CCDI) said Mr. Bekri had used his position to benefit himself and his family, buying luxury cars and doling out favours to others.