China ensures citizens' right to impartial trial: white paper

BEIJING - China is making greater efforts to ensure citizens' right to impartial trial to promote judicial fairness, justice and human rights, a white paper on China's human rights said on Monday.

The document, titled "Progress in China's Human Rights in 2014" and released by the State Council Information Office, said that in 2014 China's judicial bodies at all levels enhanced judicial justice and openness, adopted multiple judicial reform measures and ensured impartiality in the trial of cases, thereby safeguarding human rights in the field of justice at a higher level.

Public security, procuratorial and judicial bodies continued to implement relevant laws and regulations to improve the mechanisms of preventing, identifying and redressing cases involving unjust, false and wrongful charges throughout all criminal procedures from investigation to prosecution to trials, it said.

In 2014, a number of major criminal cases involving unjust, false, or wrongful charges were redressed in accordance with the principle of "no punishment in doubtful cases."

The white paper mentioned that the Higher People's Court of Fujian Province heard the poisoning case involving Nian Bin, and acquitted the suspect on the ground of "lacking sufficient evidence."

Also, the Higher People's Court of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region retried the case of Huugjilt who was originally charged with intentional homicide and indecent assault, and absolved him of guilt.

Based on the principles of "statutory crime and penalty," "no punishment in doubtful cases" and "evidentiary adjudication," the courts acquitted 518 defendants in cases of public prosecution and 260 in cases of private prosecution, thereby maintaining the freedom of innocent people, the white paper said.

Also, the system of excluding illegally obtained evidence is being strictly implemented.

In 2014, by refusing to adopt illegally obtained evidence, procuratorial bodies at all levels decided not to arrest 406 people and not sue 198 people, it said.

The white paper said judicial openness, the judicial system reform and the state compensation and judicial assistance systems have also been enhanced.