China reforms death penalty trials in 2006: top judge

Xiao Yang, chief justice and the president of the Supreme People's Court (SPC), delivers a report on the work of the SPC during the third plenary meeting of the Fourth Session of the Tenth National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 11, 2006. (Xinhua photo)

    BEIJING, March 11 (Xinhuanet) -- To promote meticulosity in metingout capital punishment, top judge Xiao Yang said Saturday that Chinese courts will start from this year to open court session when hearing death sentence trials in second instance, after taking steps to retrieve the power of death penalty review from provincial courts.  Full Story>>

Complaints against Chinese judiciary take down turn

    BEIJING, March 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Local courts across China received a total number of 3,995,244 letters, visits and calls of complaints in 2005, down by 5.33 percent year-on-year, and 435,547 of them were against misconducts of judges, the country's top judge said here on Saturday. Full Story>>

China puts 6 provincial-level officials into prison

    BEIJING, March 11 (Xinhuanet) -- In the fight against corruption and other duty-related crimes, Chinese local courts heard 24,277 cases of embezzlement, bribery and dereliction of duty, and sentenced 1,932 officials above the county level to prison, Chief Justice Xiao Yang said Saturday. Full Story>>

Chinese courts sentence 10% more to prison

    BEIJING, March 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Chief Justice Xiao Yang said here Saturday that local courts across the country heard 683,997 criminal cases in 2005, 6.17 percent up year-on-year, and sentenced 844,717 cases, or 10 percent more, to prison.  Full Story>>

Judiciaries take steps to ensure innocent free from being wronged

    BEIJING, March 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese courts and prosecuting organs at various levels have taken a series of measures to ensure that the innocent be free from wronged punishment, according to work reports of top judge Xiao Yang and top procurator Jia Chunwang on Saturday to the Parliament.  Full Story>>