`` It 's almost certain '' Zhou would be put on trial , a longtime political observer says . The Chinese government has been cracking down hard on dissent in recent years and the case of Mr. Zhou, who was released from prison last year after serving only half his sentence, is just one example of He had been rumored to be under house arrest before Tuesday 's announcement . If indicted , he would be the highest-ranking PRC official ever to face corruption charges .
`` It 's almost certain '' Zhou would be put on trial , a longtime political observer says . Zhou had been on the nine-member Politburo Standing Committee . He had been rumored to be under house arrest before Tuesday 's announcement . If indicted , he would be the highest-ranking PRC official ever to face corruption charges .