Xiao Yang
Xiao Yang, former President of the Supreme People's Court, died at the age of 81 in Beijing on April 19.
Born in south China's Guangdong Province, Xiao graduated from the department of law of Renmin University of China in 1962 and went on to become vice procurator-general of the Guangdong Provincial People's Procuratorate in 1983. He then took on the position of Supreme People's Court president from 1998 to 2008.
Xiao was a major driver of judicial reform in China after the country's launch of reform and opening up in the late 1970s. He initiated the founding of China's anti-corruption system, supported the introduction of China's first Lawyers Law and Prison Law, and promoted reform of the death penalty approval system.