Prisons still in dire need of reform

Finally the truth came out in the "hide-and-seek" case that has aroused much media attention across the nation. After an initial false report by prison authorities and an unsuccessful investigation by a panel consisting of "representatives of netizens", the Yunnan Provincial Procuratorate announced last Friday that Li Qiaoming, the inmate who died in a prison in the province on Feb 8, was actually beaten to death by "prison bullies".

The Jinning detention house had previously claimed that Li died while playing hide-and-seek with other inmates. The incident sparked a public uproar as most accused prison authorities for covering up the truth.

The more outrageous, I think, is the fact that some prisoners were allowed to bully or even torture other inmates under the nose of the wardens.