Opinion | First thing China, August 24

Two years since he was released from an 11-year prison sentence for a murder he didn't commit and awarded 650,000 yuan (HK$793,400) in compensation, Henan farmer Zhao Zuohai is back in court this week to seek further justice. Six police officers involved in the original investigation were convicted last year for torturing Zhao to extract the false confession used to prosecute him, and the group appeared before a judge Wednesday to appeal sentences ranging from exemption from punishment for one of the former officers to up to two years in prison.

Cheng Dawei, the fishing boat captain who was found guilty of killing a Korean coast guard officer and sentenced to 30 years in prison in April this year had a third and final day in court yesterday to appeal his conviction. Cheng, who has been held in police custody since December last year, is expected to receive a verdict on September 13. Prosecutors now seek the death penalty, while Cheng's lawyers argue he should be given a lesser sentence on a conviction of involuntary manslaughter.