Burden of proof

Wang Huan (right) interrogates suspects in a detention center in Chaoyang district, Beijing. Provided to China Daily

It can be a heavy responsibility deciding whether to open or close the door to a prosecution in just seven days, as Cao Yin finds out.

What could you do in a week? For Wang Huan, that is the time she has to decide someone's fate. As a prosecutor responsible for investigation and supervision, the 37-year-old has just seven days in which to review a case, examining the evidence and interrogating the suspects, before deciding whether or not to prosecute.

"My work is regarded as the 'door' to a prosecution. In other words, if there is something wrong in this step, the subsequent procedures will be affected. An error may result in a false conviction," says Wang, who works in Beijing No 3 People's Procuratorate.

"But the most terrible part of it is, such an important task and heavy workload must be finished within seven days," she says.

Ten years ago, Wang graduated from the law school at Renmin University in Beijing. Her first case was a complicated gang-related case involving 17 charges and more than 40 suspects.

"I had little time to settle into my role. Instead, I had to read more than 40 files of evidence and draw up an outline of the case within a week."