Only six face jail in Shanxi kiln scandal

Only six lower-ranked official will face criminal prosecuting, Shanxi government officials announced on Monday, writes Howard French in the International Herald Tribune. Not surprisingly, angry citizens are not pleased.

The announcement ... unleashed a torrent of strongly critical commentary on the Internet, with thousands of people in news discussion groups and on blogs denouncing what were widely perceived as light punishments, and questioning the failure to pursue criminal charges or allegations of corruption.
A serious political incident was first turned into a serious criminal case, and then slowly transformed into a matter of ordinary malfeasance," wrote one online commentator. "Once all of these rustlings are over, the same things are bound to happen again."

Update: Was obvious wrong here. One has been sentenced to death and 28 to jail, says the BBC.