Top judge underlines fairness and justice (2)

Chen told Southern Metropolis Daily he had confessed because he could not stand torture during interrogation. Police involved in the case denied using torture.

Judges in Fujian declared Chen innocent because the evidence was inadequate to support the charges against him, according to a statement by Fujian High People's Court, to which Chen filed his appeal.

Ma Xinlan, chief judge of the court, said on Thursday the latest verdict was made in the spirit of justice and the rule of law. "This is an example of error being corrected in an appeal case. But it comes after a long time," she said.

Ma said that ensuring fairness and justice requires respect for evidence, legal procedures and proper application of laws.

In his speech, Zhou also said the rights and interests of litigants must be protected.

"We must make sure the poor can afford to file a lawsuit, and that he who has legal evidence in support of him can win the lawsuit," he said.

More transparency

On Thursday morning, Zhou gave a group media interview, the first in at least five years for a top judge.

Zhou said the restoration of judicial credibility requires efforts not only from judges, but also lawyers and the public.

The courts should reach out to the public, invite them to court hearings to make sure the procedures are transparent, and comply with the law.

"Cases that have sparked intense attention from society should be updated for the public in a timely manner," he said, suggesting that court hearings should be broadcast on television to keep people up to date with the latest information.

"People's right to a presence at a court hearing must be protected and all court verdicts, as well as how such verdicts have been made, should be released online," he said.

He called lawyers, whose legal rights are sometimes undermined, "an important force to push forward the rule of law in China" and said all courts should respect their rights. "Lawyers' rights to read case files and defend must be guaranteed," he said.

He Bing said although Zhou didn't touch upon any individual case, he has sent a message that the courts welcome supervision.

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