Criminals are often led around in chains in front of huge crowds

CHINA. MORE CAUTIOUSLY HANDLING OF DEATH PENALTY CASES URGED

March 11, 2007: China's four major law enforcement agencies called for more cautiously handling death penalty cases by jointly issuing a document.
The document, jointly issued by the Supreme People's Court, Supreme People's Procuratorate, Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of Justice, underlined that the Supreme People's Court is authorized to exercise the final approval for death penalty cases.
It also asked law enforcement officials to strictly obey laws in identifying facts, collecting evidence, dealing with procedures and adopting punishments.
Also, some basic principles in handling death penalty cases has been drown by the document which asked to punish criminals as well as protect their human rights.
It requested not to parade suspects or criminals to the public for the purpose of humiliating them.
The document especially ordered to prevent law enforcement officials from inquisiting by torture, extorting confession, and banning any form of illegally collecting evidence.
Judges at different levels should pay more attention to the validity of evidence in handling death penalty cases, the document said.
It stressed that all law enforcement organs should cooperate with each other in dealing with such cases to ensure that every death sentence is made in a fair way. (Sources: Xinhua, 11/03/2007)