Prosecutors in Minhang District of Shanghai have set up a video system to tape questioning of suspects, which they hope will prevent criminals retracting confessions or saying they were forced to confess to crimes they didn't commit.

The district is the first in Shanghai city to set up such a system.

To begin with, the system will only be used in the investigation of crimes involving corruption and bribery.

Video equipment has been set up in all three interrogation rooms in the prosecutors' anti-corruption investigation and direction center.

A large screen outside the three rooms allows top prosecutors to watch what investigators are up to at all times.

Questions will be in two parts.

First, suspects will be questioned in a room where the camera is hidden. Only after they have confessed to a crime will they be taken to a room where the camera is out in the open. Once there, they will be asked to repeat their confession in front of the camera.

The system can prevent investigators threatening or beating suspects, and can also prevent suspects from denying their confessions in court, said Lu Qinjian, a prosecutor with the office.

In a recent bribery case, a suspect surnamed Wei appealed, complaining that he was forced to sign a confession that prosecutors had written up on their own.

The office leaders watched the video tape immediately and found Wei was never threatened and he had confessed voluntarily. Shown the tape, Wei admitted he was lying.

(Shanghai Daily December 5, 2005)