Behind the Iron Curtain: In the name of law, China continues persecution with ever more convictions

From 2018 to 2022, Chinese courts prosecuted 8.3 million individuals, marking a 12% increase compared to the previous period. Moreover, there was an almost 20% rise in the number of protests against court rulings. In March, the supreme people’s Procuratorate (SPP), responsible for ensuring the legality and fairness of investigations and prosecutions, released these statistics, shedding light on the operation of China’s notoriously opaque justice system in recent years, particularly amidst a tightening domestic security landscape. Zhang Jun, the outgoing director of the SPP, reported a 31.7% decline in prosecutions for violent crimes, while there was a 43.3% increase in prosecutions for internet-based offenses like gambling, fraud, and the dissemination of explicit materials. National Security Prosecutions Notably, an official work report did not mention the 1,400 national security prosecutions that occurred between 2018 and 2022, as highlighted in a previous SPP report. According to reports, Chinese authorities have intensified their focus on alleged crimes related to national and public security, which includes targeting dissidents, protesters, and human rights lawyers. Additionally, this month, new amendments to anti-espionage laws also went into effect, expanding their scope in a manner that legal experts cautioned could heighten risks for foreign individuals and organizations operating within the country. Authorities have conducted raids and made arrests targeting foreign businesses involved in due diligence and consulting, while in recent years, numerous foreigners and Chinese individuals working for foreign organizations have been detained on grounds of national security. Trials related to national security, often involving allegations of espionage or subversion, frequently occur in secret, lacking transparency regarding evidence, rulings, and sentences. The data provided only included the overall number of prosecutions. Dr. Enshen Li, a senior lecturer in criminology at the University of Queensland, was qouted in a Guardian report saying, the increase in prosecutions might reflect a global trend of governments engaging in overcriminalization, as well as a system implemented since 2016 that incentivises defendants to plead guilty in exchange for lenient sentences. Li stated, “This approach has been applied to approximately 90% of criminal cases handled in recent years, significantly improving the efficiency of case processing in the criminal justice system, thereby making criminal prosecution much easier than before.” 100% conviction rate In a system where the conviction rate for criminal trials is nearly 100%, the plea leniency system has become a powerful motivation for defendants to plead guilty, resulting in a significant decrease in the number of pre-trial detentions. Between 2018 and 2022, the rate of pre-trial detentions plummeted from 54.9% to 26.7%, reaching a record low. The SPP report also stated a 30% increase in the rejection of 818,000 arrests proposed by public security organs. However, the data also indicated a notable increase in the number of appeals filed against criminal judgments, specifically appeals initiated by prosecutors against convictions or sentences. According to the SPP, there were 41,000 protests submitted against criminal judgments deemed to be flawed, marking an 18.9% rise compared to the previous reporting period. It is important to note that these appeals are made by prosecutors, not defendants. Action against politicians Additionally, the SPP disclosed that 78,000 officials, including over 100 individuals holding provincial leader or ministerial positions, faced prosecution for corruption and bribery during the five-year period. Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.