A total of 1,595 state employees were prosecuted on charges involving human rights last year, up 13.3 percent on 2003, said the procurator-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate in his annual work report to the National People's Congress on Wednesday.
   
"Procuratorial organs have been implementing the Constitution's human rights amendments and have strengthened their fight against those abusing them," said Jia Chunwang.
   
The supreme procuratorate established two hotlines last June for people to report job-related human rights violations, a major focus set for procuratorates from May 2004 to June this year.
   
Human rights violations by state organs are defined by the procuratorate as dereliction of duty that causes loss of life or property, illegal detention and search, gaining confessions or collecting evidence with violence, sabotaging elections and infringing on citizens' civil rights, or mistreating detainees.
   
"The Supreme People's Procuratorate directly supervised 82 major cases last year," said Jin.
   
He stressed that state procuratorial organs have also intensified measures in the examination of evidence and listening to suspects and lawyers to reduce cases of wrongful arrest and prosecution.
   
Amendments to the Constitution, adopted by the top legislature in March last year, stipulate "the state respects and safeguards human rights."
   
A host of government officials were punished or convicted last year for abusing their power, including those responsible for the sale of fake baby milk powder in east China's Anhui Province and for a stampede accident in the Beijing suburb of Miyun.

(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2005)