Amended Laws to Raise Qualifications of JudgesTop Chinese legislators are carefully considering how to select the right people to be judges and prosecutors.The ongoing 16th Session of the Ninth National People's Congress Thursday discussed two draft amendments to the existing 1995 laws on judges and prosecutors designed to improve the quality of the country's judiciary by raising qualifications standards. Those who are appointed judges or prosecutors must be college graduates and have practiced law for at least two years, or postgraduates who have practiced law for at least one year. Those who did not major in law must be confirmed as having the same level of knowledge in law, according to the draft amendments proposed by the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate for first reading. Heads of courts and procuratorates, members of judicial committees of courts and procuratorates as well as heads of judge panels should be selected from among judges and prosecutors who have proven to be high-quality legal professionals. Otherwise they must pass relevant examinations before getting promoted, the drafts said. The drafts also empower courts and procuratorates to revoke appointments of judges and prosecutors at the lower level institutions for not complying with legal procedures and requirements, or to offer advice to the legislative body at the corresponding level to cancel such appointments and replacements. Some legislators suggested that judges and prosecutors should not work in one place for too long to avoid corruption. |
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