Lawyers urge China’s top judge to quit over controversial comments against ‘Western’ judicial independence
Petition launched after Zhou Qiang, head of the Supreme People’s Court, tells top provincial judges to reject ‘erroneous’ Western ideas of judicial independence and separation of powers
More than a dozen former and practising Chinese lawyers have signed a petition calling for China’s top judge to resign over his controversial remarks against “Western” concepts such as judicial independence.
Supreme People’s Court Chief Justice Zhou Qiang, 57, told all top provincial judges on Saturday that they should firmly resist the “erroneous” Western ideas of judicial independence and the separation of powers.
Zhou called on the judges to reject mistaken criticism of the leadership of the Communist Party and warned them never to fall into the “trap” of embracing the erroneous Western ideas, China News Service reported.
He urged the judges to “dare to pull out their swords” to fight criticism of the party’s leading role and the development of rule by law under socialism with Chinese characteristics. Similar remarks were also reported by Xinhua late on Monday.
But a transcript of Zhou’s speech published on the website of the party’s State Organs Work Committee on Tuesday referred only to his remarks about resisting Western ideas, without mentioning the hawkish comments.
According to the transcript, Zhou’s speech focused on the need for local judges to spearhead judicial reforms.