Only the courts can judge merits of a grievance

Editor's note: Zhang Koukou, who was given the death penalty for intentional homicide after killing three neighbors whom he held responsible for the death of his mother, was executed on Wednesday. China Youth Daily comments:

Zhang was 13 in 1996 when he witnessed the death of his mother after she was beaten on the head with a stick supposedly by Wang Zhengjun, one of the sons of Wang Zixin. Although it was claimed that he took the blame instead of his brother Wang Xiaojun, as he was only 17 at the time and therefore would be tried as a minor. He was given a seven-year prison sentence for deliberate injuring Zhang's mother.

The Supreme People's Court, which upheld Zhang's death sentence said Zhang committed an "extremely serious crime" and the death sentence reflects the principle of "matching the punishment to the crime".