October 29, 2013

"Why China is turning to 'trial by television' in sensitive cases."

“This is a step backward for China.... This is law enforcement by political campaign; it is a political matter, not a legal one.”
Posted by Ann Althouse at 10:39 AM
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7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Are they showing the Zimmerman trial?

10/29/13, 10:47 AM
Richard Dolan said...

Odd that this article misses the forest for the trees. The problem here is not that the Chinese authorities are using various forms of pressure to induce confessions of guilt. Our legal system also has its ways of pressuring the vast majority of defendants into pleading guilty -- the US criminal justice system would collapse if most defendants refused to do so and instead insisted on their right to a jury trial.

Instead, the problem lies in the nature of the 'crime' at issue in the Chinese proceedings -- criminal 'defamation', criminal 'slander' and the like. It goes without saying that these 'crimes' are trotted out to punish anyone who has published sharply critical comments about the Party or the Government in China. In contrast, you don't have to be concerned with the possibility that you will be charged with criminal 'defamation' if the object of your ire is, say, the Japanese gov't.

10/29/13, 10:58 AM
n.n said...

Democracy in service of the state, or at least the minority which controls it.

10/29/13, 11:05 AM
Carl Pham said...

Come, that's unduly harsh. A show trial on the television is a step forward for China. Think of the ratings! I admit, if they were truly 21st century, they'd be streaming it on the Web and paying Nancy Grace to analyze it in real time, but...baby steps. You have to walk before you run.

10/29/13, 11:44 AM
great Unknown said...

Re: Richard Dolan

In the US, "criminal defamation" is punished with IRS audits.

Unless you're in St. Louis, where the DA's office threatened people publishing political advertisements critical of Obama with prosecution for criminal libel. http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2008/09/missouri-sheriffs-prosecuters-form/

So explain again why China has a problem...

10/29/13, 11:50 AM
Anonymous said...

In the US, they prosecute formidable politicians in show trials, politicians that their opponents could not dislodge right before their re-election bids e.g. Tom Delay of Texas, Ted Stevens of Alaska.

China has a long way to go to catch up with us.

10/29/13, 4:42 PM
cf said...

i am just sick of heart.

10/29/13, 8:10 PM

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