A collection of a few Chinese rights lawyers comments on the execution of Yang Jia, a young man who stabbed six Shanghai policemen as revenge for police mistreatment:
Li Jinglin: The socially disadvantaged groups including the petitioners are also learning lessons. In real life, it is impossible for their legal rights to be effectively protected.
Li Xiongbing: The social conflicts such as the Yang Jia incident were solved in an extreme way because there are no other channels [for redress]. The unrest taking place in either Longnan of Gansu province or Weng’an of Guizhou province are inevitable due to the lack of a functioning judicial system. If there exists a fair and independent third party that can act as a mediator, then such violent confrontation will not happen.
Zheng Enchong: The government’s handling of Yang Jia’s case is self-contradictory. As a consequence, people will not trust the law.
Tang Jingling: Without a fair judicial system, it’s impossible for a rights [defense] movement to proceed peacefully. However, the government’s violence always prevails.
Source: Sound of Hope Radio, December 1, 2008
http://soundofhope.org/programs/162/111882-1.asp