China's discipline commission under scrutiny

In China, interrogations of Communist party members are carried out by the dreaded Discipline Inspection Commission which works outside of the law.

Today, six party officials go on trial for allegedly torturing a party member to death.

The party member's wife, Wu Qian, says "The man I saw at the emergency room was like a skinny begger. His hair was long and his body was covered with bruises.

"He was tortured. I knew it from the moment I saw the bruises on his body. It is evident he was tortured for a long time."

After a business trip to Beijing, Mr Qian was picked up by party investigators for 'minor misconduct.'

He was driven into town and according to the indictment after weeks of interigation, he was tortured to death.

Hidden from public view, defence lawyers say that interigation, torture and suicide are common.