By launching a national campaign to probe human rights infringement crimes committed by government officials, China is moving further to practise the principle of "respect for and protection of human rights," which has been newly written into the Constitution to better protect the public's legitimate rights and interests.

The sweeping investigation, starting this May, will focus on various violations of human rights, including interrogation by torture, extorted confessions, illegal detention, interference with the voting rights of citizens and other misdeeds that lead to human rights infringement, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) announced on Wednesday.

The SPP has also ordered local procuratorates to publicize their telephone numbers and e-mail addresses to accept supervision from the public.

China has been taking efforts to improve its judicial system in past years. According to SPP Deputy Procurator-General Wang Zhengchuan, China's procuratorates at all levels investigated 4,029 cases of human rights infringement crimes from 2001 to 2003. In turn, a number of government officials whose dereliction of duty caused great losses concerning the everyday lives and assets of citizens were suitably punished.

This year alone, a number of serious incidents harming people's safety and life, such as a stampede calamity in Beijing's suburban Miyun County, a fire in a department store in Northeast China's Jilin Province, and the fake milk powder case in East China's Anhui Province were all under investigation. Negligent officials have been held responsible for these damages.

Officials and other public employees are being urged to be more vigilant in performing their duties. But a year-long special inspection campaign is certainly not a lasting solution for this issue.

Government officials should always bear the important responsibility of safeguarding people's legitimate rights in mind. And a mechanism that combines education and institutional measures as well as supervision should be established to curb misconduct and create a better environment for human rights protection.

Source: China Daily