What is "shuanggui"

Shuanggui (approximately pronounced ) is an internal disciplinary process conducted by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China – and its lower-level affiliates – on members of the Party who are suspected of "violations of discipline," a charge which usually refers to corruption but can occasionally carry other connotations as well. The Shuanggui process is conducted in secret, in a system which is separate from ordinary Chinese law enforcement processes. Generally subjects are isolated from any form of legal counsel or even family visits during the process.

At the time the party member is informed of their Shuanggui, the party disciplinary agencies have often already found enough evidence behind the scenes to establish guilt. As such, being taken to Shuanggui is usually taken as an indictment with presumed guilt despite party regulations which stipulate a presumption of innocence. Party investigators often turn the suspect over to the formal system of prosecution, that is, the procuratorate, if the party member is deemed to be guilty, which is the case the vast majority of the time. The system has been described variously as an effective way to root out corruption but also as depriving its subjects of basic legal rights. There have been some reports of Shuanggui subjects being tortured to make forced confessions.