Radical lawyers undermine legal authority

Source:Global Times Published: 2014-4-2 0:28:02

Local police in Jiansanjiang, Helongjiang Province, issued a notice on Monday, saying that four lawyers have been detained for a period between five and 15 days and fined between 200 to 1,000 yuan ($161) for "inciting and gathering 38 adherents of Falun Gong, a cult organization, and their relatives."

The lawyers claimed on Weibo earlier that the legal education center where they protested is actually a "black jail" with a lot of Falun Gong practitioners "illegally detained" inside.

So far there have been three trips organized by lawyers to Jiansanjiang to protest the education center. Details about the trips are unknown to the public, which has led to confusion in online comments.

According to the local police, three out of four detained "lawyers" don't have certificate. All the detainees will soon be released, but those with sympathy for the detainees went vehemently online, converting the issue into a public event.

Falun Gong is a cult organization banned in China. The overseas head of the group   and its supporters openly aim at subverting the State and overthrowing the current political system of China. But its influence is on the decline due to an effective crackdown on the organization.

There are still some Falun Gong adherents at China's grass-root levels. Local governments send them to receive compulsory education. There is some ambiguity in defining such education in the law. With deepening rule of law, this ambiguity will be gradually eradicated. But it takes time.

The four "lawyers" didn't provide constructive suggestions to solve the knotty issue, but instigated confrontation. They incited illegal activities rather than offering legal assistance through legitimate channels.

Lawyers should be models in complying with the law. If they directly participate in creating public disturbance, they in fact confine themselves to politics not legal practice. 

Lawyers addicted to politics appear on the rise. Judging from cyber opinion, the lawyers of this category have formed a force that is against the current country's system. It is regrettable to see the people that should take the law most seriously challenging it.

Though they claim to pursue fairness of judiciary, the real effect of their acts however undermines the authority of the law. They tend to put value beyond law or even deny the current legal system. These activities are not what lawyers should do to contribute to China's judiciary construction.

Lawyers shouldn't challenge law from the perspective of politics, taking radical actions to expand their influence in the reform process. We hope all lawyers can solve problems within the legal framework, reinforcing the implementation of laws.

It has happened repeatedly that a few lawyers and intellectuals are increasingly participating in China's grass-roots conflicts, the pros and cons of which take time to judge. In the process, intellectuals should place the public interest above their own benefit.

Posted in: Editorial

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