Law. Photo: VCG

 
A judge of the Higher People’s Court in Central China’s Hunan Province was allegedly murdered for refusing to pull strings for an acquaintance, and the country’s Supreme Court issued a strongly worded statement on Tuesday condemning violence against the judiciary. 

The suspect surnamed Xiang, 44, is from the same town as the judge surnamed Zhou.

Xiang had filed a lawsuit and wanted Zhou to help her win it, but after Zhou refused, Xiang decided to take revenge, according to a statement issued on Tuesday from police station of Tianxin district in Changsha, Hunan Province. 

Xiang has been detained and an investigation is underway, read the police statement, which said Zhou was stabbed to death in an underground garage.

The Hunan Higher People’s Court on Tuesday issued a statement expressing condolences to Zhou’s family. 

The Supreme People’s Court of China also published an article on its WeChat account, slamming the violence.

The article titled “murderer’s despicable conduct cannot shake resolve for judicial justice,” calling on society to unite and support judges to fight injustice. “We are proud of Zhou’s integrity,” the court’s statement said. 

“A society with the rule of law will not allow violence to challenge the judicial authority,” read the provincial court’s statement.

During her 17-year legal career Judge Zhou was impartial and diligent, and was never swayed by personal considerations. She had won lots of awards during her career, the court said. 

Netizens also expressed condolences to the judge’s family and urged the court to strictly punish murderer. “Losing Zhou is a great loss for everyone and our society.

She could have upheld justice for many people if it were not for the murder,” a netizen wrote on Sina Weibo.
Media reports said Xiang had applied to be cleaner in the community where Zhou lived to get close to the victim. 

Global Times