Ministry of Justice sets out rules for relatives

Judicial administration, court, procuratorate and public security authorities have issued documents to promote judicial fairness by banning close relatives of their personnel from engaging in some businesses.

The Ministry of Justice issued a document on Tuesday to regulate the behavior of staff members' spouses, children and sons－or daughters-in-law in running businesses.

Those close relatives of judicial and administrative personnel should not participate in businesses under their unit's jurisdiction or in other businesses that might affect the staff member's ability to perform their duties fairly, the document said.

Judicial and administrative staff members should not use their power to provide convenience or preferential conditions for their spouses, children or children's spouses to run businesses.

The relatives of the staff members should not engage in businesses or enterprise activities that may affect the staff member's impartial performance, or have direct economic relations with the unit where they work or units under their jurisdiction, it said.

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Public Security issued a trial list specifying the scope of business bans for the spouses, children and children's spouses of police officers. The list mainly covers businesses closely related to public security work and those that may affect the fair law enforcement of public security organs where the police officers work.

It said that if the spouses, children and children's spouses of police officers encounter difficulties in securing employment and social security due to their withdrawal from business, the public security organs shall report their situations to the local Party committees and government departments for help in solving the problem.

The Supreme People's Procuratorate issued a similar list in September and the Supreme People's Court followed suit in October.