Chinese judicial departments better handle petitions

China's courts and prosecutors are trying to deal better with complaints about their work to stop petitioners turning to other departments or superior agencies.

The number of people filing complaints to China's judicial departments in the first seven months of this year increased by 7.1 percent year on year, according to the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, which oversees the country's judicial and law enforcement affairs.

The increase is attributed to new measures that help petitioners. When they feel wronged or abused by local authorities, many ordinary people turn to government or Party departments at higher levels. Some even make it to the central government.

The country has been trying hard to help these people get justice immediately instead of traveling to provincial capitals, or even Beijing, to get recompense.

Many petitions are about judgements and law suits, so courts and procuratorates have been pushed to streamline their petition systems.

The Commission for Political and Legal Affairs issued three documents this year telling local courts and procuratorates how to accept complaints, examine the cases in question, decide which should go back to court and correct mistakes. The documents also clarify sanctions for judges and prosecutors who neglect petitions and cause petitioners to resort to radical measures, such as mass protests.

"Through a smooth channel of filing petitions, we hope most complaints involving judicial departments can be settled within the judicial system and ordinary people can find justice through legal means," the statement said.