I pledge an allegiance, to the party...

I don't often post about China, but the Justice Ministry's latest move to require lawyers to take an oath to the Communist Party seems worth mentioning for those interested in law under authoritarian regimes. According to the BBC, the move was prompted as a response to public interest litigation by the likes of Gao Zhisheng (pictured courtesy of BBC) and Chen Gaungcheng. Still, it seems a very clumsy move for a country with many domestic and expat lawyers. Especially so coming on the even of a key political transition. My guess is somebody in the Justice Ministry had to prove his/her hardline credentials.