Over 1,200 judicial officers investigated for breaking law

Procuratorates nationwide filed 999 cases that involved 1,285 judicial personnel suspected of duty-related crimes from June to early December, the country's top procuratorate said on Sunday. The numbers increased 28.6 percent and 24.5 percent year-on-year respectively.

Among the investigated, 119 people involved in major cases are at or above the county and division level. Another 166 people are suspected of involvement in favoritism and committing irregularities, offering commutation, parole, or out-of-prison enforcement for offenses that fail to meet relevant requirements, according to the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

The SPP launched an operation targeting duty-related crimes committed by judicial officers in June this year to promote a national movement of conducting education and rectification of the legal and political teams, including procuratorate, court, public security and justice.

The operation focused on five types of cases, namely, judicial officers offering shelters for the organized crimes, abusing power, playing favoritism and committing irregularities.

As part of the operation, SPP carried out weekly analysis of handling cases, promptly identified and studied emerging cases and tendencies. By holding quarterly video meetings, distributing typical cases and conducting on-the-spot inspections and supervision, SPP also conducted in-depth studies on problems existing in the investigation process and provided targeted guidance to ensure the quality and efficiency of case handling, said an official with the SPP's fifth procuratorial office.

In one case among them, by investigating judicial officers sheltering organized crimes, procuratorate in northeast China's Liaoning province filed cases to investigate 12 people suspected of abusing power in Fuxin city.