1/2/2011 Fighting judicial corruption tops agenda

CHINA> National

Fighting judicial corruption tops agenda

The war on judicial corruption is the most urgent work before the courts, Chief Justice Wang Shengjun
said at a two-day work conference in Beijing that ended yesterday.

"The fight against corruption is decisive to the undertakings of the people's courts," Wang said at the
national conference on team construction attended by presidents of regional higher courts.

"We have to fully understand that the corruption uncovered in

Related readings:
some courts and places is not simply isolated phenomena.
China's legislature ratifies judicial
The battle against corruption will be arduous, complicated
co-op treaties
and long-term," said Wang, president of the Supreme
Senior official urges to promote
People's Court (SPC).
judicial reform
Top judge calls for judicial support to Last year, a total of 712 court staff members were
ensure economic growth investigated and punished, including 105 who were found to
China strives to weed out judicial be criminally liable.
corruption
"Most violators were from trials or enforcement departments,
and the number of city-level court officials and above
remained high," said Wang at the conference, adding that "they usually abused their power for money or
property."

The top judge said Chinese courts will try to prevent corruption, uncover problems and, when corruption
is found, impose stricter penalties.
He said education was the first step and called for an improvement in "court staff's consciousness in
using their judicial power for people's benefits instead of their own good".
Starting in the second half of the year, the SPC will finish training court chiefs at city-, county- and
district-level, SPC Executive Vice-President Shen Deyong told the conference.

Wang said examples of both good and bad practices will be used to encourage and warn judges.

Wang also ordered leading court officials and judges to listen to work reports, analyze case handling
and closely monitor the application of discretion. Inspection tours will also be increased.
"Senior officials should adjust the positions of those unsuitable for current jobs, and problems should be
fixed at the first opportunity."
A recent order issued by the SPC said judges and court employees could lose their jobs or face
criminal charges if they take gifts from parties involved in cases. Personnels are also forbidden from
having a commercial relationship with lawyers, or attempting to influence cases being handled by
others, it said in a statement.
Court staff must not show favoritism when ruling on cases, especially those involving appraisals and
auctions, and are forbidden from leaking details of trials, it said.
The SPC and all regional high courts have set up 24-hour hotlines for people to report violations.

"We must attentively treat every report, make timely investigations and announce the results to the
public as soon as possible," Wang said.

Courts are under pressure to deal with corruption following several high profile cases.
Former SPC vice-president Huang Songyou was removed last October for allegedly taking bribes; the
case remains under investigation. He was the highest-ranking judicial official to be sacked on corruption

chinadaily.com.cn/…/content_7735766.… 1/2
1/2/2011 Fighting judicial corruption tops agenda
charges since 1949.

Ren Jin, a professor with National School of Administration, lauded the efforts "which will forcefully push
the courts' fight against corruption".
"The public should show more patience and be confident with the country's judicial system," Ren said.

Copyright By chinadaily.com.cn. All rights reserved

chinadaily.com.cn/…/content_7735766.… 2/2