Human Rights -- Death Penalty

China's top judge ruled out the possibility of abolishing death penalty in China, but stressed the necessity to apply death sentences in a more prudent and cautious manner. He said Chinese courts will start from this year to open court sessions when hearing death sentence trials in second instance. A Chinese court spokesman said that China should preserve death penalty because it is still in its initial stage of socialism and a developing country, where many people still believe in the principle that "a killer should pay the victim with his life."