Chinese SC bans police from torturing suspects to extract confessions

London – Chinese Supreme Court has ruled officials in the country to stop torturing suspects for them to make confessions.

On its official microblog, the court said that using ‘freezing, starving, extreme heat, fire branding or extreme exhaustion’ to extract confessions was illegal.

It is the latest in a series of moves aimed at reforming the Chinese police and other security agencies.

According to the BBC, last week, China said it was abolishing ‘re-education through labour’ camps.

The system, which started in the 1950s, allowed the police to send anyone to prison for up to four years without a trial.

It was almost impossible to appeal against a sentence under the system.

The new announcement comes a week after Chinese officials concluded a four-day, closed-door meeting in Beijing at which a number of reforms were agreed, the report said.

The document also makes clear that courts should remain independent, must follow legal procedure and should not become involved in police investigations, the report added.