China's chief justice on Friday urged courts to pay more attention to the protection of human rights in criminal trials and strengthen the awareness of evidence to fit the demands of the new Criminal Procedural Law.

At a nationwide meeting on criminal trials that was held in the northwest province of Qinghai, Wang Shengjun, the chief justice and president of the Supreme People's Court (SPC), urged judges to deeply understand the spirit of the new law.

China amended the Criminal Procedural Law in March during the latest session of the National People's Congress, the top legislative body. The phrase of "respecting and protecting human rights" is written into the revised law's first chapter.

The revised law stresses protecting suspects and defendants from "illegal restriction, detention and arrest."

In judicial acts, the unity of legal effects and social effects should also be given more attention, said Wang, adding that the quality of judicial work should be improved.

Zhang Jun, vice president of the SPC, said at the meeting that judges' comprehensive quality should be improved in their capacities in understanding the overall situation, social conflicts and public opinion.

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