Officials' photos should not detract from their crimes

LIAO SHAOHUA, former Party chief of Zunyi, Guizhou province, Southwest China, was recently put on trial for suspected corruption. A photo of his in court aroused nationwide attention because it shows a grey-haired desperate man, in contrast to his photo that used to be on the government website, which portrayed him as fat and energetic. Netizens posted similar photos of other officials before and after they were brought to court. Comments:

Corrupt officials are always energetic before being hunted because they thought privileges would cover their illegal deeds and protect them. They are desperate when being brought to court because they know they will lose their power and every privilege that comes with it. Under the current bureaucratic system, an official loses his or her own personality and becomes simply a puppet of power. This not only harms the people's interests by creating a group of privileged officials, it also ruins the officials themselves.

Lanzhou Evening News, April 14