Only the courts can judge merits of a grievance

Editor's note: Zhang Koukou, who was given the death penalty for intentional homicide after killing three neighbors whom he held responsible for the death of his mother, was executed on Wednesday. China Youth Daily comments:

Zhang was 13 in 1996 when he witnessed the death of his mother after she was beaten on the head with a stick supposedly by Wang Zhengjun, one of the sons of Wang Zixin. Although it was claimed that he took the blame instead of his brother Wang Xiaojun, as he was only 17 at the time and therefore would be tried as a minor. He was given a seven-year prison sentence for deliberate injuring Zhang's mother.

The Supreme People's Court, which upheld Zhang's death sentence said Zhang committed an "extremely serious crime" and the death sentence reflects the principle of "matching the punishment to the crime".

Zhang was sentenced to death at his first trial, and the sentence was upheld after he appealed and at the subsequent mandatory death penalty review procedures. His lawyer participated in the whole process and provided necessary legal services for Zhang.

Before his execution, the Hanzhong court arranged for Zhang to meet with his family members according to the law, and during the execution, the procuratorate assigned staff to supervise his execution according to the law.

Zhang's execution serves as a lesson in legal education for the public. In a modern and civilized society under the rule of law, people should settle disputes with others through the courts. The era of bloody revenge is gone. Even if Zhang was dissatisfied with the trial of Wang Zixin, that gives him no excuse to do what judges are supposed to do.

Believing in, respecting and abiding by the law is the only legal way to solve problems and conflicts with others. Anyone turning a blind eye to the law and taking justice into their own hands will inevitably be punished by the law.