Independent courts needed

An independent court is key to maintaining justice and restoring public trust, says an editorial in Nanfang Metropolis News. An excerpt follows:

Xiao Yang, president of the Supreme People's Court, urged all the nation's judges to follow the law with wisdom and prudence. Xiao reminded the judges that they should give proper verdicts according to the law without being influenced by public opinion or media coverage.

In recent years, more media report lawsuits before cases are concluded. Some journalists use "murderer" or "grafter" to describe the suspects while the trail is still under way.