The reform will also prevent judicial department officials from meddling with investigations or trials, with those found guilty of doing so to be named and shamed publicly. There is a provision, too, to disclose all legal instruments online for public reference.

Judicial officials will have to take oath on the country's Constitution to perform their duties sincerely and seriously, and will under no circumstances take money or favors from parties or lawyers involved in a case. And the government has to process people's complaints in accordance with the law, and make available basic legal services to enable rural and urban residents to lodge appeals and ensure that all those in need have access to legal channels to get their cases heard.

To better protect judicial independence, the Supreme People's Court and provincial courts will now be in charge of recruiting judges and prosecutors, who have to come up from grassroots courts and prosecutors' offices. This means upper-level courts and prosecutors' offices must recruit judges and prosecutors from courts just below their level. And jury members will now be selected from a cross section of society instead of just the legal field.

The judicial reform also redefines the relations among the legislature, executive and the judiciary, highlights the responsibilities of the government and helps better safeguard people's rights and interests, greatly improving China's human rights record.

Given such historic progress, the Human Rights Watch needs to reflect on its prejudice against China, and try to understand the internal logic of human rights in developing countries. Or else, it cannot serve the world's human rights causes.

The author is a researcher in human rights studies at the Southwest University of Political Science and Law.

(China Daily 02/07/2015 page5)