Controversial cases put judges under scrutiny

BEIJING - After calls by Internet users prevented a farmer from being wrongly sent to prison for life earlier this year, moves to make the provincial court system more open to the public gathered strength, said Zhang Liyong, head of the Higher People's Court of Henan province and a deputy to the National People's Congress.

Starting from this year, the province's court system will broadcast online as many trials as possible to put judges under public scrutiny, Zhang said.

In the past year, two controversial cases in Central China's Henan province attracted nationwide attention and eroded the judiciary's credibility.