Information to be released in some instances 'to promote social harmony and stability'
National prosecutors are required to provide information to litigants and others directly involved in judicial cases when such cases involve major and sensitive matters, a senior official under the Supreme People's Procuratorate said.
The move is intended to ensure judicial fairness and prevent petitions and mass incidents that can grow out of misunderstandings, said Wan Chun, director of the SPP's research department.
The procuratorate has issued a notice that prosecutors release information on the development and results for six kinds of major and sensitive cases, Wan said.
Among such cases, he said, are those that threaten social security and disturb social order, such as violent and terrorist crimes; those that may arouse heated public debates, such as sexual abuse and assault of minors; and those that could easily lead to petitions or mass incidents, such as land requisition and demolishing of properties.
Other cases on the list include those that are closely related to people's livelihoods, such as human trafficking and food safety crimes; cases that may serve as warnings, such as those involving cults or drug-related crimes; or those involving allegations of official graft, he said.
In recent years, petitions and mass incidents have occurred occasionally due to the public's misunderstanding and doubts about charges made by prosecuting departments, and this has hindered judicial fairness and the credibility of law enforcement.
"Publicizing the case details and giving immediate feedback to the involved parties' major concerns will enable them to learn about the case facts and applicable laws to ensure the cases will run smoothly, and promote social harmony and stability," Wan said.
Li Qingliang, a senior official at the SPP's research department, said that if necessary, the prosecutors will give either formal written statements or oral interpretations to the involved parties and their lawyers to answer their doubts or explain to them their decisions on charges.
Li said that during the judicial process, prosecutors should respond in a timely way to major issues raised by the litigants, including judicial procedures or case development, to ensure such cases go smoothly.
Moreover, when they prosecute the suspects or decide not to arrest them, they need to explain why to the involved parties, he said.
One such case happened in September, when prosecutors in Beijing decided not to arrest Xi Liang, a male teacher at a kindergarten in Beijing who was accused of assaulting minors. Family members of the minor victims protested against the decision, and the prosecutors responded immediately.
"Although Xi beat up the minors, his intention was to push them to have better rehearsals rather than gratification or venting a violent nature. His wrong behavior didn't cause serious injuries to the minors, so he won't face charges," prosecutors said in a statement.
In September, Xi was fired by the kindergarten and compensated the victims' families with 5,000 yuan ($800).
Wan said that when giving such notifications, prosecutors must attach great importance to not disclosing secrets involving national safety, individual privacy or business information.
"Especially when dealing with minor suspects-those aged under 18 - we should pay attention to holding closed hearings, protecting their private information or sealing their records to ensure they will grow up physically and psychologically healthy," he said.
