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China high court limits use of death penalty

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] The Supreme People's Court of China on Tuesday issued new guidelines for limiting capital punishment in Chinese courts, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. The guidelines rely on a policy of "justice tempered with mercy" and instruct courts to issue the death penalty only to those who commit "extremely serious" crimes. According to the report, cases involving repeat offenders, gang-related crimes, and government corruption cases should be handled with severity. However, the guidelines also state that reprieves should be issued in certain cases as allowed by law. China has recently faced significant criticism of its human rights record and use of the death penalty. Last month, a Chinese court sentenced four people to death in connection with the July Xinjiang riots. At least 26 people have received death sentences for their roles in the riots. In November, the Chinese government carried out the executions of nine others convicted in connection with the riots for murder, assault, arson, and robbery, after a review by the Supreme People's Court upheld their sentences. Last year, China said that it planned to reduce the number of executions it conducts. Anti-death penalty group Hands Off Cain has said that China continues to account for more executions than any other country. In 2008, the country executed at least 5,000 people, or more than 87 percent of the world's total.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on February 10, 2010 (boomark / email).