The number of executions carried out in China is sure to see a
gradual drop as a result of recent legislative changes, according
to an expert.
An amendment, which was ratified by China's top legislature on
Tuesday and takes effect on January 1, 2007, requires that all
death penalties are to be approved by the Supreme People's Court
(SPC).
Professor Chen Guangzhong, of the China University of Political
Science and Law, said that lower courts would therefore be more
cautious when meting out capital sentences knowing that these might
be overturned by the SPC.
"China will definitely see a reduction in the use of the death
penalty, " Chen said.
"The drop in the number of executions, however, will be gradual
because the general public, who traditionally believe in 'a life
for a life', needs time to get used to the change."
But Chen added that the new amendment would make the sentencing
procedure more just.
"In the process of building a harmonious society, the less the
death penalty is used, the better," Chen said.
The amendment is, in effect, a reform that will enable China to
implement its policy of "a more prudent and less used death
penalty."
The SPC was responsible for reviewing all death penalty cases
until 1983 when, as part of a major crackdown on crime, provincial
courts were given authority to issue death sentences for crimes
that seriously endangered public security and social order,
including homicide, rape, robbery and the criminal use of
explosives.
The system did help to reduce crime rates, according to Ministry
of Public Security figures in September 1984 that showed the number
of criminal cases from January to August that year dropped 31
percent from the previous year.
However, the practice of provincial courts handling both death
sentence appeals and final reviews has been criticized in recent
years for perpetrating miscarriages of justice.
The Chinese media has exposed a series of errors in death
sentence cases and criticized the courts for their not exercising
caution when meting out capital punishment sentences.
(Xinhua News Agency November 3, 2006)