Suspects being kept in a local detention house were escorted on a routine trip to court on Monday, but the trip was not entirely routine.
The ten detainees were the first ever in Beijing to have their faces covered with masks, symbolizing a new move in the judicial history of the Chinese capital.
According to Li Yongle, a court officer with the Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People's Court, the new measure was approved by the court to protect the privacy of suspects.
Court sources said suspects on their way to trial have yet to be convicted and the masks reflect the respect for their privacy rights.
Meanwhile, the masks will prevent a suspect in transit from identifying and colluding with others.
The masks, which leave only the eyes uncovered, are made of soft and ventilative materials and will be washed and sterilized after each use, according to court sources.
(Xinhua News Agency March 3, 2003)
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