Seven doctors in Baotou, the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, were sentenced recently on charges of bribery and making illegal psychiatric evaluations, China News Service reported on Jan 22.

The doctors are Chen Furen, Dang Ren, Zhang Ling'e, Song Peiyi, Li Liqin, Zhang Zhen and Wang Jing at Baotou No 6 Hospital, the only psychiatric hospital in the city. Dang Ren and Li Liqin are husband and wife.

The Donghe district people's court of the city found that Dang, Wang, Li, Chen, Zhang Ling'e and Song got bribes that totaled 1.97 million yuan ($325,500) from a pharmaceutical distributor.

Dang, Wang, Li, Song and Zhang Zhen, as hospital staff that worked on psychiatric judicial appraisals, helped the appraisers waive or reduce criminal penalties through psychiatric examinations in exchange for money from the appraisers.

Dang was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison; Li, six years and six months; Cheng, five years and eight months; Song, three years and six months; Wang, six years and six months; Zhang Ling'e, five years; and Zhang Zhen, 18 months.