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CRIMINAL PROCEDURE LAW

Category  LITIGATION Organ of Promulgation  The National People's Congress Status of Effect  In Force
Date of Promulgation  1996-03-17 Effective Date  1997-01-01  

Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China [1996]



Contents
Chapter I  Aim and Basic Principles
Chapter II  Jurisdiction
Chapter III  Withdrawal
Chapter IV  Defense and Procuration
Chapter V  Evidence
Chapter VI  Compulsory Measures
Chapter VII  Incidental Civil Actions
Chapter VIII  Time Periods and Service
Chapter IX  Other Provisions
Chapter I  Filing a Case
Chapter II  Investigation
Chapter III  Initiation of Public Prosecution
Chapter I  Trial Organizations
Chapter II  Procedure of First Instance
Chapter III  Procedure of Second Instance
Chapter IV  Procedure for Review of Death Sentences
Chapter V  Procedure for Trial Supervision
Supplementary Provisions

(Adopted at the Second Session of the Fifth National People's Congress on

July 1, 1979, revised in accordance with the Decision on Amendments of the
Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China adopted at the
Fourth Session of the Eighth National People's Congress on March 17, 1996)
Contents

  Part One  General Provisions

    Chapter I     Aim and Basic Principles

    Chapter II    Jurisdiction

    Chapter III   Withdrawal

    Chapter IV    Defense and Procuration

    Chapter V     Evidence

    Chapter VI    Compulsory Measures

    Chapter VII   Incidental Civil Actions

    Chapter VIII  Time Periods and Service

    Chapter IX    Other Provisions

  Part Two  Filing a Case, Investigation and Initiation of Public Prosecution

    Chapter I     Filing a Case

    Chapter II    Investigation

      Section 1  General Provisions

      Section 2  Interrogation of the Criminal Suspect

      Section 3  Questioning of the Witnesses

      Section 4  Inquest and Examination

      Section 5  Search

      Section 6  Seizure of Material Evidence and Documentary Evidence

      Section 7  Expert Evaluation

      Section 8  Wanted Orders

      Section 9  Conclusion of Investigation

      Section 10 Investigation of Cases Directly Accepted by People's

                 Procuratorates

    Chapter III   Initiation of Public Prosecution

  Part Three  Trial

    Chapter I     Trial Organizations

    Chapter II    Procedure of First Instance

      Section 1  Cases of Public Prosecution

      Section 2  Cases of Private Prosecution

      Section 3  Summary Procedure

    Chapter III   Procedure of Second Instance

    Chapter IV    Procedure for Review of Death Sentences

    Chapter V     Procedure for Trial Supervision

  Part Four  Execution

  Supplementary Provisions

    Part One  General Provisions
Chapter I  Aim and Basic Principles

    Article 1  This Law is enacted in accordance with the Constitution to
guarantee the correct implementation of the Criminal Law, punish crimes,
protect the people, ensure the national security and social public security
and maintain the social order of the socialist society.

    Article 2  The Criminal Procedure Law makes it the objective to ensure
the accurate and timely ascertainment through investigation of the criminal
facts, the proper application of the law and punishments of criminals, to
protect innocent people from undergoing criminal prosecution, to educate
citizens to observe law voluntarily and take an active part in the struggle
against criminal acts, to uphold the socialist legal system, to protect the
personal rights, property rights, democratic rights and other rights of
citizens, and to ensure the smooth progress of socialist construction.

    Article 3  The public security organs are responsible for investigation,
detention, execution of arrests and preliminary examination. The people's
procuratorates are responsible for conducting procuratorial work, approving
arrests, investigating cases directly accepted by the procuratorates and
initiating public prosecutions. The people's courts are responsible for
adjudication. Any other organs, organizations and individuals have no right
to exercise such power, unless otherwise provided by law.

    In conducting criminal proceedings, the people's courts, the people's
procuratorates and the public security organs must strictly observe this Law
and any relevant stipulations of other laws.

    Article 4  The state security organs shall, according to the stipulations
of the law, handle criminal cases endangering the state security and
exercise the functions and power identical with those of the public security
organs.

    Article 5  The people's courts shall, according to the stipulations of the
law, exercise independently judicial power and the people's procuratorates
shall, according to the stipulations of the law, exercise independently
procuratorial power, both of which shall be free of any interference by
administrative organs, social organizations and individuals.

    Article 6  In conducting criminal proceedings, the people's courts, the
people's procuratorates and the public security organs must rely on the
masses, base themselves on facts and take the law as the criterion. The law
applies equally to all citizens and no privilege whatsoever is permissible
before the law.

    Article 7  In conducting criminal proceedings, the people's courts, the
people's procuratorates and the public security organs shall divide the
responsibilities, coordinate their efforts and check each other to ensure the
correct and effective enforcement of the law.

    Article 8  The people's procuratorates shall, according to law, exercise
legal supervision over criminal lawsuits.

    Article 9  Citizens of all nationalities shall have the right to use
their native spoken and written languages in court proceedings. The people's
courts, the people's procuratorates and the public security organs shall
provide interpretations or translations for any party to the court proceedings
who is not familiar with the spoken or written language commonly used in the
locality.

    Where people of a minority nationality live in a concentrated community
or where a number of nationalities live together in one area, court hearings
shall be conducted in the spoken language commonly used in the locality, and
judgments, notices and other documents shall be issued in the written
language commonly used in the locality.

    Article 10  In trying cases, the people's courts shall apply the system
whereby the second instance is final.

    Article 11  Cases in the people's courts shall be heard in public, unless
otherwise provided by this Law. The accused shall have the right to defense,
and the people's courts shall have the duty to guarantee his/her defense.

    Article 12  No person shall be held guilty in absence of a judgment
rendered by the people's court according to law.

    Article 13  In trying cases, the people's courts shall apply the system
of people's assessors taking part in trials in accordance with this Law.

    Article 14  The people's courts, the people's procuratorates and the
public security organs shall safeguard the procedural rights to which
participants in proceedings are entitled according to law.

    In cases where a minor under the age of 18 commits a crime, the legal
representative of the criminal suspect or the accused may be notified to be
present at the time of interrogation and trial.

    Participants in proceedings shall have the right to file charges against
judicial, procuratorial and investigatory personnel whose acts infringe on
their citizens' procedural rights or subject their persons to indignities.

    Article 15  Subject to one of the following instances, no criminal
responsibility shall be investigated, and if investigation has been
undertaken, the case shall be dismissed, or prosecution shall not be
initiated, or the hearing shall be terminated, or innocence shall be
declared:

    (1) If an act is obviously of minor importance, causing no serious harm,
and is therefore not deemed a crime;

    (2) If the limitation period for criminal prosecution has expired;

    (3) If an exemption of criminal punishment has been granted in a special
amnesty decree;

    (4) If the crime is to be handled only upon complaint according to the
Criminal Law, but there has been no complaint or the complaint has been
withdrawn;

    (5) If the criminal suspect or the accused is deceased; or

    (6) Other instances for which laws provide an exemption from
investigation of criminal responsibility.

    Article 16  Provisions of this Law shall apply to foreigners who commit
crimes for which criminal responsibility should be investigated.

    If foreigners with diplomatic privileges and immunities commit crimes for
which criminal responsibility should be investigated, those cases shall be
resolved through diplomatic channels.

    Article 17  The judicial organs of the country and their counterparts of
foreign countries may mutually request judicial assistance in criminal cases,
in accordance with the international treaties concluded or acceded to by the
People's Republic of China, or according to reciprocal principle.
Chapter II  Jurisdiction

    Article 18  Public security organs shall conduct investigations into
criminal cases unless otherwise stipulated by law.

    People's procuratorates shall file cases and conduct investigations into
crimes regarding corruption, crimes regarding dereliction of duty committed
by public employees of the state, crimes regarding infringement on the
personal rights of, and on the democratic rights of, citizens committed by
staff personnel of state organizations by abusing their authority in respect
of illegal detention, extortion by torture of confession, retaliation and
false charges, and illegal rummage. Other cases involving serious crimes
committed by staff personnel of state organizations by abusing their
authority, may be filed with and investigated by people's procuratorates,
subject to the decision made by the people's procuratorate at provincial
level or above, when the people's procuratorate concerned is required to
directly accept the case.

    Cases of private prosecution shall be accepted directly by the people's
courts.

    Article 19  The basic people's courts shall have jurisdiction as courts
of first instance over ordinary criminal cases; however, those cases which
fall under the jurisdiction of the people's courts at higher levels as
stipulated by this Law shall be exceptions.

    Article 20  The intermediate people's courts shall have jurisdiction as
courts of first instance over the following criminal cases:

    (1) Counter-revolutionary cases and cases endangering the national
security;

    (2) Ordinary criminal cases possibly resulting in a judgment of life
imprisonment or death penalty; and

    (3) Criminal cases involving crimes committed by foreigners.

    Article 21  The higher people's courts shall have jurisdiction as courts
of first instance over major criminal cases that pertain to an entire
province (or municipality directly under the Central Government, or
autonomous region).

    Article 22  The Supreme People's Court shall have jurisdiction as the
court of first instance over major criminal cases that pertain to the whole
nation.

    Article 23  When necessary, people's courts at higher levels may try
criminal cases over which people's courts at lower levels have jurisdiction
as courts of first instance. If a people's court at a lower level considers
the circumstances of a criminal case in the first instance to be major or
complex and to necessitate a trial by a people's court at a higher level, it
may request that the case be transferred to the people's court at the next
higher level for trial.

    Article 24  A criminal case shall be under the jurisdiction of the
people's court in the place where the crime was committed. If it is more
appropriate for the case to be tried by the people's court in the place where
the accused resides, then that court may have jurisdiction over the case.

    Article 25  When two or more people's courts at the same level have
jurisdiction over a case, it shall be tried by the people's court that first
accepted it. When necessary the case may be transferred for trial to the
people's court in the principal place where the crime was committed.

    Article 26  A people's court at a higher level may instruct a people's
court at a lower level to try a case over which jurisdiction is unclear and
may also instruct a people's court at a lower level to transfer the case to
another people's court for trial.

    Article 27  The jurisdiction over cases in special people's courts shall
be stipulated separately.
Chapter III  Withdrawal

    Article 28  In any of the following situations, a member of the judicial,
procuratorial or investigatory personnel shall voluntarily withdraw, and the
parties to the case and their legal representatives shall have the right to
demand his withdrawal:

    (1) If he/she is a party or a near relative of a party to the case;

    (2) If he/she or a near relative of his/her has an interest in the case;

    (3) If he/she has served as a witness, expert witness or defender in the
current case or has represented a party in an incidental civil action; or

    (4) If he/she has any other relations with a party to the case that could
affect the impartial handling of the case.

    Article 29  Judicial, procuratorial and investigatory personnel shall not
be allowed to accept invitation to entertainment or gifts by the party and
the persons entrusted by him/her, or shall not be allowed to meet, in
violation of stipulations, the party and the persons entrusted by him/her.

    Judicial personnel, procuratorial personnel and investigatory personnel
who have violated the provisions in the preceding paragraph, shall according
to law be investigated into the legal responsibility. The party and his/her
legal representative have the right to apply for the withdrawal of the
personnel concerned.

    Article 30  The withdrawal of judicial, procuratorial and investigatory
personnel shall be determined respectively by the president of the court, the
chief procurator, and the head of a public security organ; the withdrawal of
the president of the court shall be determined by the court's judicial
committee; and the withdrawal of the chief procurator or the head of a public
security organ shall be determined by the procuratorial committee of the
people's procuratorate at the corresponding level.

    A member of the investigatory personnel may not suspend investigation of
a case before a decision is made on his/her withdrawal.

    In response to the decision on rejection of a party's application for
withdrawal, the party and his/her legal representative may apply for a final
reconsideration.

    Article 31  The provisions of Articles 28, 29 and 30 of this Law shall
also apply to court clerks, interpreters and expert witnesses.
Chapter IV  Defense and Procuration

    Article 32  In addition to the exercise by himself/herself of the right to
defense, the criminal suspect or the accused may entrust one or two persons
as his/her defenders, and following persons may be entrusted to be defenders:

    (1) Lawyers;

    (2) Persons recommended by a people's organization or the unit by which
the criminal suspect or the accused is employed; and

    (3) Guardians, relatives and friends of the criminal suspect or the
accused.

     The persons undergoing criminal punishments or being deprived of or
restrained from personal liberty according to law shall not act as defenders.

    Article 33  The right of a criminal suspect to entrust defenders in
public prosecution accrues on the day when the case is submitted for
examination and prosecution. The accused in a private prosecution has the
right to entrust defenders at any time.

    The people's procuratorate shall, within three days from the day of
receiving the file of the case submitted for examination and prosecution,
inform the criminal suspect of the right to entrust defenders. The people's
court shall, within three days from the day of accepting the private
prosecution, inform the accused of the right to entrust defenders.

    Article 34  In case a public prosecutor appears in court to conduct a
public prosecution while the accused has not entrusted his/her defenders on
account of economic difficulty or for other reasons, the people's court may
designate a lawyer duty-bound to provide legal assistance to defend him/her.

    In case the accused who is blind, deaf or mute or who is a minor, does
not entrust a defender, the people's court shall designate a lawyer
duty-bound to provide legal assistance to defend him/her.

    In case the accused who may possibly be sentenced to death penalty
does not entrust a defender, the people's court shall designate a lawyer
duty-bound to provide legal assistance to defend him/her.

    Article 35  The responsibility of a defender shall be to present,
according to the facts and the law, materials and opinions proving the
innocence of the criminal suspect or the accused, the pettiness of his/her
crime and the need for a mitigated punishment or exemption from criminal
responsibility, thus safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of the
criminal suspect or the accused.

    Article 36  The defense lawyer may, from the day of the examination by
the people's procuratorate of the prosecution case, consult, make extracts
from and reproduce the litigation documents, documents of technical
examination, and may meet and correspond with the criminal suspect in custody.
Other defenders with the permission of the people's procuratorate may consult,
make extracts from and reproduce the afore-said file documents, and may meet
and correspond with the criminal suspect in custody.

    The defense lawyer may, from the day of accepting the case by the people's
court, consult, make extracts from and reproduce the file documents on
criminal facts accused of, and may meet and correspond with the accused in
custody. Other defenders with the permission of the people's court may
consult, make extracts from and reproduce the afore-said file documents, and
meet and correspond with the accused in custody.

    Article 37  The defense lawyer may, with the consent of the witnesses
or other relevant units and individuals, acquire information related to the
case from them, or may apply to the people's procuratorate, or the people's
court for collecting or obtaining by order the evidence, or apply to the
people's court for notifying witnesses to testify in the court.

    The defense lawyer, with the permission of the people's procuratorate or
people's court, may with the consent of the victim, his/her near relatives
or the witnesses provided by the victim, acquire information related to the
case from them.

    Article 38  The defense lawyer and other defenders shall not assist
the criminal suspects or the accused to conceal, destroy, frame up evidence
or act to collude with each other's confessions, and shall not threaten,
entice witnesses to make alterations in testimony or give false testimony, and
shall not commit any acts which may cause interference in prosecution
activities conducted by judicial organs.

    Legal responsibility shall be investigated into for violating the
provisions of the preceding paragraph.

    Article 39  During a trial, the accused may refuse to have his/her
defender continue to defend him/her and may entrust his/her defense to
another defender.

    Article 40  The victim and his/her legal representative or near relatives
in public prosecution, the parties and their legal representatives in an
incidental civil action, have the right to entrust agents ad litem from the
day when the case is submitted for examination and prosecution. The
prosecutor and his/her legal representative in private prosecution, the
parties and their legal representatives in an incidental civil action have
the right to entrust agents ad litem at any time.

    The people's procuratorates shall, within three days from the day of
receiving the file of the case submitted for examination and prosecution,
inform the victim and his/her legal representative or near relatives, the
parties and their legal representatives in an incidental civil action of the
right to entrust agents ad litem. The people's courts shall, within three
days from the day of accepting a private prosecution, inform the prosecutor
and his/her legal representative, the parties and their legal representatives
in an incidental civil action of the right to entrust agents ad litem.

    Article 41  Agents ad litem shall be entrusted by reference to the
stipulations of Article 32 of this Law.
Chapter V  Evidence

    Article 42  All facts that prove the true circumstances of a case shall
be evidence.

    There shall be the following six categories of evidences:

    (1) material evidence and documentary evidence;

    (2) testimony of witnesses;

    (3) statements of victims;

    (4) statements and exculpation of criminal suspects or the accused;

    (5) expert conclusions;

    (6) records of inquests and examination; and

    (7) video and audio materials.

    Any of the above evidence must be verified before it can be used as the
basis for deciding cases.

    Article 43  Judicial, procuratorial and investigatory personnel must, in
accordance with the legally prescribed process, collect various kinds of
evidence that can prove the guilt or innocence of the criminal suspect or the
accused and the gravity of his/her crime. It shall be strictly forbidden to
extort confessions by torture and to collect evidence by threat, enticement,
deceit or other unlawful means. Conditions must be guaranteed for all
citizens who are involved in a case or who have information about the
circumstances of a case to objectively and fully furnish evidence and, except
in special circumstances, they may be brought in to help the investigation.

    Article 44  The public security organ's request for approval of arrest,
the people's procuratorate's bills of prosecution and the people's court's
written judgments must be faithful to the facts. The responsibility of anyone
who intentionally conceals the facts shall be investigated.

    Article 45  The people's courts, the people's procuratorates and the
public security organs are empowered to collect, obtain by order evidence
from relevant units and individuals. The relevant units and individuals shall
furnish the true evidence.

    Evidence involving state secrets shall be kept confidential.

    Anyone that falsifies, conceals or destroys evidence, regardless of which
side of a case he/she belongs to, must be investigated under the law.

    Article 46  In the decision of all cases, stress shall be laid on
evidence, investigation and study; credence shall not be readily given to
oral statements. The accused cannot be found guilty and sentenced to a
criminal punishment if there is only his/her statement but no evidence; the
accused may be found guilty and sentenced to a criminal punishment if
evidence is sufficient and reliable, even without his/her statement.

    Article 47  The testimony of a witness may be used as a basis in deciding
a case only after the witness has been questioned and cross-examined in the
courtroom by both sides, that is, the public prosecutor and victim as well as
the accused and defenders, and after the testimonies of the witnesses on
all sides have been heard and verified. If a court discovers through
investigation that a witness has intentionally given false testimony or
concealed criminal evidence, it shall handle the matter in accordance with
the law.

    Article 48  All those who have information about a case shall have the
duty to testify.

    Physically or mentally handicapped persons or minors who cannot
distinguish right from wrong or cannot properly express themselves shall not
be qualified as witnesses.

    Article 49  The people's courts, people's procuratorates and public
security organs shall guarantee the safety of witnesses and their near
relatives.

    Criminal responsibility shall be investigated according to law for
menace, humiliation, beating, retaliation done to witnesses and their near
relatives in case of a crime established; and if the seriousness is not
enough for criminal punishments, an administrative penalty for public
security shall be imposed according to law.
Chapter VI  Compulsory Measures

    Article 50  The people's courts, the people's procuratorates and the
public security organs may, according to the circumstances of a case, summon
by warrant the criminal suspect or the accused, or order him/her to be bailed
out for summons or reside under surveillance.

    Article 51  The people's courts, people's procuratorates and public
security organs may allow a criminal suspect or the accused to be bailed out
for summons or reside under surveillance, who is subjected to one of the
following conditions:

    (1) Being possibly sentenced to surveillance, criminal detention or
incidental punishment independently applicable; or

    (2) Being possibly sentenced to a punishment not less than fixed-term
imprisonment, but allowing him/her to be out on bail or reside under
surveillance may not possibly cause danger to the society.

    Bail out for summons and reside under surveillance shall be executed by
public security organs.

    Article 52  A criminal suspect or the accused in custody and his/her legal
representative and near relatives have the right to apply for bail out for
summons.

    Article 53  The people's courts, people's procuratorates and public
security organs that decide on bailing out for summons or residing under
surveillance of a criminal suspect or the accused, shall order the criminal
suspect or the accused to obtain a guarantor or pay the bail.

    Article 54  Guarantors must meet the following conditions:

    (1) Having no bearing on the cases concerned;

    (2) Being capable to perform a guarantor's obligations;

    (3) Enjoying political rights and personal liberty is not restrained; and

    (4) Having fixed residence and regular income.

    Article 55  Guarantors shall perform the following obligations:

    (1) Supervise the guaranteed person who shall observe the stipulations of
Article 56 of this Law; and

    (2) Make timely report to the executing organ on the acts which the
guaranteed person may possibly do or has already done in violation of the
stipulations of Article 56 of this Law.

     A guarantor who fails to make timely report on the acts committed by the
guaranteed person in violation of the stipulations of Article 56 of this Law
shall be fined, and if a crime is proved, shall be investigated into the
criminal responsibility according to law.

    Article 56  Criminal suspects or the accused who have been bailed out for
summons shall observe the following stipulations:

    (1) Shall not be allowed to leave the cities, counties they live in
without the permission of the executing organs;

    (2) Shall present themselves in time when being summoned;

    (3) Shall not interfere in any manner with witnesses in testifying; and

    (4) Shall not destroy, frame up evidence or act in collusion to make
confessions.

    In case of violation of the stipulations of the preceding paragraph by
criminal suspects or the accused being bailed out for summons, the bail
already paid shall be confiscated and criminal suspects or the accused shall
be ordered, according to various circumstances, to make a statement of
repentance, to pay again the bail, to obtain a guarantor, or to reside under
surveillance or shall be arrested. Criminal suspects or the accused who have
not violated the stipulations of the preceding paragraph when being out on
bail, shall be refunded the bail that has been paid on expiration of the
period for bailing out for summons.

    Article 57  Criminal suspects or the accused residing under surveillance
shall observe the following stipulations:

    (1) Shall not leave the dwelling place without the permission of the
executing organs, or in absence of a fixed dwelling place, shall not leave
the appointed dwelling place without the permission of the executing organs;

    (2) Shall not meet other persons without the permission of the executing
organs;

    (3) Shall present themselves in time when being summoned;

    (4) Shall not interfere in any manner with witnesses in testifying; and

    (5) Shall not destroy, frame up evidence or act in collusion to make
confessions.

    Criminal suspects or the accused who reside under surveillance may be
arrested for serious violation of the stipulations of the preceding
paragraph.

    Article 58  The people's courts, people's procuratorates and public
security organs shall allow criminal suspects or the accused to be bailed out
for summons for a maximum period of 12 months, and to reside under
surveillance for a maximum period of six months.

    In the period of bailing out for summons or residing under surveillance,
investigation, prosecution and examination of the case shall not be
suspended. In case it is found that criminal responsibility shall not be
investigated, or on the expiration of the period of bailing out for summons
or residing under surveillance, the bailing out for summons or residing under
surveillance shall be timely removed, and criminal suspects or the accused
and the units concerned shall be timely informed of such removal.

    Article 59  Arrests must be approved by a people's procuratorate or
decided by a people's court and must be carried out by a public security
organ.

    Article 60  When criminal facts have been proved by evidence and the
criminal suspect or the accused could be sentenced to a punishment not less
than imprisonment, and if such measures as ordering him/her to be bailed out
for summons or reside under surveillance would be insufficient to prevent the
occurrence of danger to society, thus necessitating arrest, the criminal
suspect or the accused shall be immediately arrested according to law.

    If a criminal suspect or the accused who should be arrested is seriously
ill or is a pregnant woman or a woman breast-feeding her own baby, the
criminal suspect or the accused may be allowed to be bailed out for summons
or reside under surveillance.

    Article 61  Public security organs may initially detain an active
criminal or a major suspect under any of the following conditions:

    (1) If he/she is preparing to commit a crime, is in the process of
committing a crime or is discovered immediately after committing a crime;

    (2) If he/she is identified as having committed a crime by a victim or an
eyewitness;

    (3) If criminal evidence is found on his/her body or at his/her residence;

    (4) If he/she attempts to commit suicide or escape after committing the
crime, or he/she is a fugitive;

    (5) If there is likelihood of his/her destroying or falsifying evidence or
colluding with others to give false statements;

    (6) If he/she does not tell true name, address, and his/her identity is
unknown; or

    (7) If he/she is strongly suspected of being a runaway criminal or a
criminal committing crimes repeatedly or in group.

    Article 62  A public security organ effecting criminal detention or
arrest in another area, shall inform the public security organ of that area
wherein the person to be detained or arrested is located, and the public
security organ in that area shall render coordination.

    Article 63  The persons listed below may be seized outright by any
citizen and delivered to a public security organ, a people's procuratorate
or a people's court for handling:

    (1) any person who is committing a crime or is discovered immediately
after committing a crime;

    (2) any person who is wanted for arrest;

    (3) any person who has escaped from prison; and

    (4) any person who is being pursued for arrest.

    Article 64  When detaining a person, a public security organ must
produce a detention warrant.

    Within 24 hours after a person has been detained, his/her family or the
unit to which he belongs shall be notified of the reasons for detention and
the place of custody, except in circumstances where such notification would
hinder the investigation or there is no way of notifying them.

    Article 65  A public security organ shall interrogate a detainee within
24 hours after detention. If it is found that the person should not have
been detained, he/she must be immediately released and issued a release
certificate. If the public security organ finds it necessary to arrest a
detainee when sufficient evidence is still lacking, it may allow the detainee
to be bailed out for summons or reside under surveillance.

    Article 66  When a public security organ intends to arrest a criminal
suspect, it shall submit a written request for approval of arrest together
with the case file and evidence to the people's procuratorate at the same
level for examination and approval. When necessary, the people's
procuratorate may send its personnel to participate in the public security
organ's discussion of a major case.

    Article 67  The chief procurator shall make the decision in a people's
procuratorate's examination and approval of an arrest. Major cases shall
be submitted to the procuratorial committee for discussion and decision.

    Article 68  A people's procuratorate, having examined and considered the
case submitted by the public security organ requesting for the approval of
arrest, shall according to the circumstances make a decision on approval or
disapproval of such arrest. In case of a decision on approval of such arrest,
the public security organ shall promptly execute the arrest, and shall duly
inform the people's procuratorate of the performance of the arrest. In case
of a decision on disapproval of the arrest, the people's procuratorate shall
state the reasons and, if supplementary investigation is required, shall
inform the public security organ simultaneously.

    Article 69  The public security organ, holding that it is necessary to
arrest a detainee, shall, within three days after the detention, submit it to
the people's procuratorate for examination and approval. Under special
circumstances, the time limit for the submission may be extended by one to
four days.

    With regard to those who are strongly suspected of being runaway criminals
or of being criminals committing crimes repeatedly or in group, the time limit
for submission and approval may be extended to 30 days.

    The people's procuratorate shall, within seven days after the day of
receiving the request for approval of arrest submitted by the public security
organ, make a decision on approval or disapproval of the arrest. In case of
disapproval of the arrest by the people's procuratorate, the public security
organ shall promptly release the detainee after receiving the notice, and
shall duly inform the people's procuratorate of such release. Where further
investigation is required and in conformity with the conditions for bailing
out for summons or residing under surveillance, bailing out for summons or
residing under surveillance shall be conducted according to law.

    Article 70  If the public security organ considers the people's
procuratorate's decision to disapprove an arrest to be incorrect, it may
request a reconsideration but must immediately release the detainee. If the
public security organ's opinion is not accepted, it may request a review by
the people's procuratorate at the next higher level. The higher people's
procuratorate shall immediately review the matter, decide whether or not to
make a change and notify the lower people's procuratorate and the public
security organ to implement the decision.

    Article 71  When making an arrest, a public security organ must produce
an arrest warrant.

    Within 24 hours after an arrest, the family of the arrested person or the
unit to which he/she belongs shall be notified of the reasons for arrest and
the place of custody, except in circumstances where such notification would
hinder the investigation or there is no way of notifying them.

    Article 72  Interrogation must be conducted within 24 hours after the
arrest, by a people's court or people's procuratorate with respect to a
person it has decided to arrest, and by a public security organ with respect
to a person it has arrested with the approval of the people's procuratorate.
If it is found that the person should not have been arrested, he/she must be
immediately released and issued a release certificate.

    Article 73  The people's courts, people's procuratorates and public
security organs, if finding improper compulsory measures have been taken
against the criminal suspects or the accused, shall timely withdraw or make
alterations. Public security organs, releasing arrested persons or making
change in the measures of arrests, shall accordingly inform the people's
procuratorates making the original approval.

    Article 74  Where cases involving criminal suspects or the accused in
custody which can not be wound up within the time limit stipulated in this
Law for custody for investigation, examination and prosecution, or trial
either in the first instance or in the second instance, require continued
investigation, examination or trial, the criminal suspects or the accused may
be bailed out for summons or reside under surveillance.

    Article 75  Criminal suspects or the accused and their legal
representatives, near relatives or the lawyers and other defenders entrusted
by the criminal suspects or the accused have the right to demand the removal
of compulsory measures, provided the compulsory measures taken by the
people's courts, people's procuratorates or public security organs exceed
the time limit stipulated by law. The people's courts, people's
procuratorates and public security organs shall, subject to the compulsory
measures exceeding the prescribed time limit, release the criminal suspects
or the accused, remove bailing out for summons or residing under surveillance
or shall according to law change the compulsory measures.

    Article 76  If in the process of examining and approving arrests, a
people's procuratorate discovers illegalities in the investigatory activities
of the public security organ, it shall notify the public security organ to
make corrections, and the public security organ shall notify the people's
procuratorate of what corrections have been made.
Chapter VII  Incidental Civil Actions

    Article 77  If a victim has suffered material losses as a result of the
criminal act of the accused, he/she shall have the right to file an incidental
civil action during the course of the criminal proceeding.

    If losses have been caused to state property or collective property, the
people's procuratorate may file an incidental civil action while initiating
a public prosecution.

    When necessary, the people's court may seal up or distrain upon the
property of the accused.

    Article 78  An incidental civil action shall be heard together with the
criminal case. Only for the purpose of preventing excessive delay in a trial
of the criminal case may the same judicial organization, after completing the
trial of the criminal case, continue to hear the incidental civil action.
Chapter VIII  Time Periods and Service

    Article 79  Time periods shall be calculated by the hour, the day and
the month.

    The hour and day from which a time period begins shall not be counted as
within the time period.

    A legally prescribed time period shall not include traveling time. Appeals
or other documents that have been mailed before the expiration of the time
period shall not be regarded as overdue.

    Article 80  When a party cannot meet a deadline due to irresistible
causes or for other legitimate reasons, he/she may, within five days after the
obstacle is removed, apply to continue the proceedings that should have been
completed before the expiration of the time period.

    A people's court shall decide whether or not to approve the application
described in the preceding paragraph.

    Article 81  Summons, notices and other court documents shall be delivered
to the addressee himself/herself; if the addressee is absent, the documents
may be received on his/her behalf by an adult member of his/her family or a
responsible person of his/her unit.

    If the addressee or a recipient on his/her behalf refuses to accept the
documents or refuses to sign and affix his/her seal to the receipt, the person
serving the documents may ask the addressee's neighbors or other witnesses
to the scene, explain the situation to them, leave the documents at the
addressee's residence, record on the service certificate the particulars of
the refusal and the date of service and sign his/her name to it; the service
shall thus be deemed to have been completed.
Chapter IX  Other Provisions

    Article 82  For the purpose of this Law, the definitions of the following
terms are:

    (1) "Investigation" refers to the specialized investigatory work and
related compulsory measures carried out according to law by public security
organs and people's procuratorates in the process of handling cases;

    (2) "Parties" refer to the victim, private prosecutor, criminal
suspect, the accused, and the plaintiff and defendant in an incidental civil
action;

    (3) "Legal representatives" refer to the parents, foster parents or
guardians of a person being represented and representatives of the government
organ or people's organization responsible for that person's protection;

    (4) "Participants to litigation" refer to the parties, legal
representatives, agents ad litem, defenders, witnesses, expert witnesses and
interpreters;

    (5) "Agents ad litem" refer to the persons entrusted by the
victim or his/her legal representative or near relatives to participate on
their behalf in the proceedings of public prosecutions, or persons entrusted
by the prosecutors or their legal representatives to participate on their
behalf in the proceedings of private prosecutions, or the persons entrusted
by the parties or their legal representatives to participate on their behalf
in the proceedings of an incidental civil action;

    (6) "Near relatives" refer to a person's husband or wife, father, mother,
son(s), daughter(s), and brother(s) and sister(s) born of the same parents.

    Part Two  Filing a Case, Investigation and Initiation of Public Prosecution
Chapter I  Filing a Case

    Article 83  The public security organs or people's procuratorates shall,
upon discovering criminal facts or criminal suspects, file a case and conduct
investigation according to their respective jurisdiction.

    Article 84  Any units and individuals shall, upon discovering criminal
facts or criminal suspects, have the right and duty to make a report on a
case or to give information of a case to a public security organ, people's
procuratorate or people's court.

    The victim has the right to report the case to or lodge his/her
complaints with the public security organ, people's procuratorate or people's
court in respect of the infringement on his/her personal or property rights.

    Public security organs, people's procuratorates or people's courts shall
accept the report on a case or complaint or the information of a case,
which, if not coming within their own jurisdiction, shall be referred to the
competent organs for disposal, and the reporter of a case, complainant,
informer shall be notified accordingly; and which, meriting emergent measures
though not coming within their own jurisdiction, shall be handled with
emergent measures before referred to the competent organs.

    In case offenders present themselves before the public security organs,
people's procuratorates or people's courts, the stipulations of the third
paragraph shall apply.

    Article 85  Reports on cases, complaints and information of cases may be
filed in writing or orally. The person receiving an oral report, complaint
or information shall make a written record of it, which after being read to
the reporter, complainant or informer and free of error, shall be signed or
sealed by the reporter, complainant or informer.

    The person receiving a complaint or information of a case shall clearly
explain to the complainant or informer the legal responsibility that shall be
incurred for making a false accusation. However, a complaint or information
of a case that does not accord with the facts, or even a mistaken accusation
shall be strictly distinguished from a false accusation, as long as no
fabrication of facts or falsification of evidence is involved.

    Public security organs, people's procuratorates or people's courts shall
guarantee the safety of the reporter of a case, complainant, informer and
their near relatives, and shall keep them confidential, if a case reporter,
complainant or informer does not wish to make open to the public his/her name
and the acts to make report, accuse and give information.

    Article 86  A people's court, people's procuratorate or public security
organ shall, within the scope of its jurisdiction, promptly examine the
materials provided by a reporter, complainant or informer and the confession
of an offender who has voluntarily surrendered. If it believes that there are
facts of a crime and criminal responsibility should be investigated, it shall
file a case. if it believes that there are no facts of a crime or that the
facts are obviously incidental and do not require investigation of criminal
responsibility, it shall not file a case and shall notify the complainant of
the reason. If the complainant does not agree with the decision, he/she may
ask for reconsideration.

    Article 87  Where a people's procuratorate finds that a case which
should be filed with a public security organ for investigation has not been
filed for investigation, or it is submitted to a people's procuratorate by
the victim that the case should be filed with a public security
organ for investigation but has not been filed for investigation, the
people's procuratorate shall request the public security organ to state the
reason for not filing the case with it. The people's procuratorate,
submitting that the reason for not filing the case by the public security
organ is unsustainable, shall notify the public security organ to file the
case and the public security organ shall file the case upon receiving the
notice.

    Article 88  The victim in private prosecution has the right to
lodge the prosecution directly to a people's court. In case the victim
has died or lost the capability to exercise his/her right, his/her legal
representative and near relatives have the right to initiate the prosecution
in the people's court which shall accept the case according to law.
Chapter II  Investigation

    Section 1  General Provisions

    Article 89  A public security organ, having filed a criminal case, shall
conduct investigations, collect or obtain by order evidence proving guilt or
innocence of a criminal suspect or minor or serious crimes. An active
criminal or major criminal suspect may be detained in advance according to
law, and a criminal suspect in conformity with the conditions for arrest
shall be arrested according to law.

    Article 90  The public security organ, having conducted investigations
into the case in which criminal facts have been proved by evidence, shall
conduct preliminary examination to verify the evidence collected or obtained
by order.

    Section 2  Interrogation of the Criminal Suspect

    Article 91  Interrogation of a criminal suspect must be conducted by the
investigatory personnel of a people's procuratorate or public security organ.
During an interrogation, there must be no fewer than two members of the
investigatory personnel participating.

    Article 92  A criminal suspect, who need not be arrested or detained, may
be summoned to and interrogated at a designated place in a city or county the
criminal suspect is located or interrogated at his residence, and at the
interrogation the certificate issued by a people's procuratorate or public
security organ shall be produced.

    The interrogation made to a criminal suspect summoned or summoned by
warrant shall not exceed a continuous period of 12 hours or the criminal
suspect shall not be subject to a disguised detention by continuous summons
or summons by warrant.

    Article 93  When interrogating a criminal suspect, the investigatory
personnel shall first ask the criminal suspect whether or not he/she has
committed any criminal act, and let him/her state the circumstances of his/her
guilt or explain his/her innocence; then they may ask him/her other questions.
The criminal suspect shall answer the investigatory personnel's questions
truthfully, but he/she shall have the right to refuse to answer any questions
that are irrelevant to the case.

    Article 94  During the interrogation of a criminal suspect who is deaf or
mute, a person who has a good command of sign language shall participate,
and such circumstances shall be noted in the record.

    Article 95  The record of an interrogation shall be shown to the criminal
suspect for checking; if the criminal suspect cannot read, the record shall
be read to him/her. If there are omissions or errors in the record, the
criminal suspect may make additions or corrections. When the criminal suspect
acknowledges that the record is free from error, he/she shall sign or affix
his/her seal to it. The investigatory personnel shall also sign the record. If
the criminal suspect requests to write a personal statement, he/she shall be
permitted to do so. When necessary, the investigatory personnel may ask the
criminal suspect to write a personal statement.

    Article 96  A criminal suspect may, after the first interrogation by the
investigatory organ or from the day of the compulsory measures to be taken,
retain a lawyer to provide him/her with legal consultancy or act on his/her
behalf to make petition or complaints. The lawyer retained by the arrested
criminal suspect may apply for the suspect for bailing out for summons. In
cases involving the state secrets, the retaining of a lawyer by the criminal
suspect shall be approved by the investigatory organ.

    The lawyer retained has the right to be informed by the investigatory
organ of the crimes of the criminal suspect, and may meet the criminal
suspect in custody and obtain from the suspect information on the case
concerned. When the lawyer meets the criminal suspect in custody, the
investigatory organ may have its personnel present at the meeting according
to the circumstances of the case and necessity. In cases involving the state
secrets, the meeting by the lawyer with the criminal suspect in custody shall
be approved by the investigatory organ.

    Section 3  Questioning of the Witnesses

    Article 97  Investigatory personnel may question a witness at his/her unit
or residence, but they must produce a certificate issued by a people's
procuratorate or public security organ. When necessary, they may also notify
the witness to give testimony at the people's procuratorate or public
security organ.

    Witnesses shall be questioned individually.

    Article 98  When a witness is questioned, he/she shall be instructed to
provide evidence and give testimony truthfully and shall be informed of the
legal responsibility that shall be incurred for intentionally giving false
testimony or concealing criminal evidence.

    In case a witness under the age of 18 is inquired, the legal
representative of the witness may be notified to be present on the scene.

    Article 99  The provisions of Article 95 of this Law shall also apply to
the questioning of witnesses.

    Article 100  The provisions of all articles in this Section shall apply
to the questioning of victims.

    Section 4  Inquest and Examination

    Article 101  Investigatory personnel shall conduct an inquest or
examination of the sites, objects, people and corpses relevant to a crime.
When necessary, experts may be assigned or invited to conduct an inquest or
examination under the direction of the investigatory personnel.

    Article 102  Each and every unit and individual shall have the duty to
preserve the scene of a crime and to immediately notify a public security
organ to send personnel to hold an inquest.

    Article 103  Investigatory personnel, conducting an inquest or
inspection, must carry with them a documentary certificate issued by a
people's procuratorate or public security organ.

    Article 104  If the cause of a death is unclear, a public security organ
shall have the power to order an autopsy and shall notify the family members
of the deceased to be present.

    Article 105  An examination may be conducted of the person of the victim
or criminal suspect in order to ascertain some of his/her characteristics or
physiological condition, or the circumstances of the injury.

    If a criminal suspect refuses to be examined, the investigatory
personnel, when they deem it necessary, may conduct a compulsory examination.

    Examination of the person of women shall be conducted by female personnel
or doctors.

    Article 106  A record shall be made of the circumstances of an inquest
or examination, and it shall be signed or sealed by the participants in the
inquest or examination and the eyewitnesses.

    Article 107  If, in reviewing a case, a people's procuratorate deems it
necessary to repeat an inquest or examination that has been done by a public
security organ, it may ask the latter to conduct another inquest or
examination and may send procuratorial personnel to participate in it.

    Article 108  When necessary and with the approval of the director of a
public security bureau, investigative experiments may be conducted in order
to clarify the circumstances of a case.

    In conduct investigative experiments, it shall be forbidden to take any
action which is hazardous, humiliating to anyone, or offensive to public
morals.

    Section 5  Search

    Article 109  In order to collect criminal evidence and track down an
offender, investigatory personnel may search the person, belongings and
residence of the criminal suspect and anyone who might be hiding a criminal
or criminal evidence, as well as other relevant places.

    Article 110  Any units and individuals have the duty to present, at the
request of the people's procuratorate or public security organ, the material
evidence, documentary evidence, video and audio materials which may prove the
guilt or innocence of the criminal suspect.

    Article 111  When a search is to be conducted, a search warrant must be
shown to the person to be searched.

    If an emergency occurs when an arrest or detention is being made, a
search may be conducted without a search warrant.

    Article 112  During a search, the person to be searched or his/her family
members, neighbors or other eyewitnesses shall be present at the scene.

    Searches of the person of women shall be conducted by female personnel.

    Article 113  A record shall be made of the circumstances of a search, and
it shall be signed or sealed by the investigatory personnel and the person
searched or his/her family members, neighbors or other eyewitnesses. If the
person searched or his/her family members have become fugitives or refuse to
sign or affix their seals to the record, this shall be noted in the record.

    Section 6  Seizure of Material Evidence and Documentary Evidence

    Article 114  Any articles and documents discovered during an inquest or
search that may be used to prove a criminal suspect's guilt or innocence
shall be seized. Objects and documents which are irrelevant to the case may
not be seized.

    Seized articles and documents shall be properly kept or sealed for
safekeeping and may not be utilized or damaged.

    Article 115  All seized articles and documents shall be carefully
checked by the investigatory personnel jointly with the eyewitnesses and the
holder of the articles; a detailed list shall be made in duplicate on the
spot and shall be signed or sealed by the investigatory personnel, the
eyewitnesses and the holder. One copy of the list shall be given to the
holder, and the other copy shall be kept on a file for reference.

    Article 116  If the investigatory personnel deem it necessary to seize
the mails or telegrams of a criminal suspect, they may, upon approval of a
public security organ or a people's procuratorate, notify the post and
telecommunications offices to hand over the relevant mails and telegrams for
seizure.

    When it becomes unnecessary to continue a seizure, the post and
telecommunications offices shall be immediately notified.

    Article 117  The people's procuratorates and public security organs may,
according to the requirement of investigating crimes, inquire about and
freeze the cash deposits or remittances according to law.

    The cash deposits and remittances of the criminal suspect which have
already been frozen shall not be re-frozen.

    Article 118  The articles, documents, mails, telegrams held in custody or
the frozen cash deposits and remittances which have been found irrelevant to
the case through investigation, shall within three days be released from
seizure and unfrozen, and be returned to their original owners or post and
telecommunications offices.

    Section 7  Expert Evaluation

    Article 119  When certain special problems relating to a case need to be
solved in order to clarify the circumstances of the case, experts shall be
assigned or invited to give their evaluation.

    Article 120  After evaluating a matter, the expert shall write a
conclusion of expert evaluation and affix his/her signature to it.

    Re-evaluation necessitated by dispute over medical expertise pertaining
to physical injury or medical expertise on mental illness shall be conducted
by the hospital designated by the provincial-level people's government. The
medical expert, having completed his examination, shall issue a conclusive
expertise with his signature and the hospital's official stamp affixed to it.

    An expert who intentionally issues a false expertise shall bear legal
responsibility.

    Article 121  The investigatory organ shall inform the criminal suspect
and the victim of the conclusive expertise to be used as evidence. If the
criminal suspect or the victim has made an application, supplementary or
fresh expertise may be conducted.

    Article 122  The time used for conducting a mental examination on the
criminal suspect shall not be counted as part of the time limit for handling
the case.

    Section 8  Wanted Orders

    Article 223  If a criminal suspect who should be arrested is a fugitive,
a public security organ may issue a wanted order and take effective measures
to pursue him/her for arrest and bring him/her to justice.

    Public security organs at any level may directly issue wanted orders
within the areas under their jurisdiction; they shall request a higher-level
organ with the proper authority to issue orders for areas beyond their
jurisdiction.

    Section 9  Conclusion of Investigation

    Article 124  The time limit for holding the criminal suspect in custody
during investigation after the arrest of the suspect shall not exceed two
months. If a case has not been concluded on the expiration of the time limit
due to its complexity, an extension of one month may be allowed with the
approval of the people's procuratorate at the next higher level.

    Article 125  In the event a particularly grave and complicated case is
inadvisable to submit to trial for a comparatively long time due to special
reasons, the Supreme People's Procuratorate shall make a report to the
Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, requesting for approval
of an extension of time for examination of the case.

    Article 126  If the cases specified hereunder have not gone through the
investigation on the expiration of the time limit stipulated in Article 124
of this Law, an extension of two months may be allowed subject to the
approval of or decision by the people's procuratorate of the province,
autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government:

    (1) Grave and complicated cases occurring in remote border areas with
poor traffic facilities;

    (2) Grave cases committed by criminal groups;

    (3) Grave and complicated cases committed by runaway criminals; or

    (4) Grave and complicated cases which cover a wide area and are difficult
in collecting evidence.

    Article 127  If cases in which the criminal suspects may possibly be
sentenced to a punishment not less than ten-year imprisonment have not gone
through the investigation on the expiration of the time limit stipulated in
Article 126 of this Law, an extension of another two months may be allowed
subject to the approval of or decision by the people's procuratorate of the
province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central
Government.

    Article 128  If it is found in the period of investigation that some
other major crimes have been committed by the criminal suspect, the time
limit for holding the criminal suspect in custody during investigation shall
be counted anew in accordance with the stipulations of Article 124 of this Law
from the day of the discovery.

    In case the criminal suspect does not tell his/her true name and address
or his/her identity is unknown, the time limit for holding the criminal
suspect in custody during investigation shall be counted from the day when
his/her identity is confirmed, but investigation and collection of evidence
for the criminal acts shall not be suspended. However, with clear criminal
facts supported by conclusive and sufficient evidence, the criminal suspect
may, in the name as told by himself/herself, be transferred to the people's
procuratorate for examination and prosecution.

    Article 129  When the investigation by the public security organ comes to
a conclusion, the case shall be wound up with clear criminal facts supported
by confirmed and sufficient evidence, and a statement of opinions on
prosecution shall be prepared and submitted to the people's procuratorate at
the same level along with the file documents and evidence for examination and
decision.

    Article 130  If it is discovered during an investigation that the
criminal suspect should not have been investigated for criminal
responsibility, the case shall be dismissed; if the criminal suspect is
under arrest, he/she shall be released immediately and issued a release
certificate, and the people's procuratorate which originally approved the
arrest shall be notified.

    Section 10  Investigation of Cases Directly Accepted by People's
Procuratorates

    Article 131  The stipulations of this Chapter apply to the investigation
of cases directly accepted by the people's procuratorates.

    Article 132  Of the cases directly accepted by the people's
procuratorates, the criminal suspects to be arrested or detained in cases
conforming to the stipulations of Article 60 and Items (4) and (5) in Article
61 of this Law shall be decided by the people's procuratorate and executed by
the public security organs.

    Article 133  The person who has been detained in a case directly accepted
by the people's procuratorate shall be interrogated within 24 hours after
detention, and, upon finding that the person should not have been detained,
must be promptly released with a release certificate issued to the person. In
case of need of an arrest but short of sufficient evidence, bailing out for
summons or residing under surveillance may be allowed.

    Article 134  Where it is necessary to the people's procuratorate that the
person who has been detained in a case directly accepted by the people's
procuratorate be arrested, a decision shall be made within 10 days; in special
circumstances, the time limit for the decision-making may be extended by one
to four days. If arrest is not necessary, the person shall promptly be
released. If further investigation is necessary, bailing out for summons or
residing under surveillance, if the required conditions are satisfied, may be
allowed.

    Article 135  At the conclusion of the investigation of a case conducted
by the people's procuratorate, a decision shall be made that public
prosecution is initiated, or that no prosecution is initiated or that the
case is dismissed.
Chapter III  Initiation of Public Prosecution

    Article 136  All cases requiring initiation of public prosecution shall
be examined and decided by the people's procuratorates.

    Article 137  In examining a case, a people's procuratorate shall
ascertain:

    (1) Whether the facts and circumstances of the crime are clear, whether
the evidence is reliable and sufficient and whether the charge and the nature
of the crime have been correctly determined;

    (2) Whether there are any crimes that have been omitted or other persons
whose criminal responsibility should be investigated;

    (3) Whether it is a case in which criminal responsibility should not be
investigated;

    (4) Whether the case has an incidental civil action; and

    (5) Whether the investigation of the case is being lawfully conducted.

    Article 138  A people's procuratorate shall make a decision within one
month on a case submitted by a public security organ for initiating public
prosecution; an extension of a half month may be allowed for major or complex
cases.

    Where there is a change in the jurisdiction of a case that is undertaken
by people's procuratorates for examination and prosecution, the time limit
for examination and prosecution shall be counted from the day of receiving
the case by the latter people's procuratorate.

    Article 139  A people's procuratorate shall, when examining a case,
interrogate the criminal suspect and hear the opinions given by the victim
and the persons entrusted respectively by the criminal suspect and the
victim.

    Article 140  A people's procuratorate, when examining a case, may request
the public security organ to furnish evidence necessary for trial in court.

    The people's procuratorate examining a case may, if finding that
supplementary investigation is necessary, remand the case to the public
security organ for supplementary investigation, or may conduct by itself the
investigation.

    In case where supplementary investigation is to be conducted, such
investigation shall be completed within a month. Supplementary investigation
is limited to no more than two times. After the case is transferred to the
people's procuratorate following the completion of the supplementary
investigation, the people's procuratorate shall count anew the time limit for
examination and prosecution.

    The people's procuratorate may decide not to initiate the prosecution if
it holds the opinion that evidence is still not sufficient even after the
supplementary investigations and the conditions required for prosecution are
not satisfied.

    Article 141  When a people's procuratorate considers that the facts of
a criminal suspect's crime have been ascertained, that the evidence is
reliable and sufficient and that criminal responsibility should be
investigated according to law, it shall make a decision to initiate
prosecution and shall, in accordance with the provisions for trial
jurisdiction, initiate a public prosecution in a people's court.

    Article 142  If the criminal suspect is subjected to any one of the
instances specified in Article 15 of this Law, the people's procuratorate
shall make a decision not to prosecute.

    In case of minor offense for which no criminal punishment is to be
imposed or for which exemption from criminal punishment may be granted in
accordance with the stipulations of the Criminal Law, the people's
procuratorate may make a decision not to prosecute.

    In the case where the people's procuratorate decides not to prosecute, the
property held in custody or frozen during investigation shall be
simultaneously released from the custody or unfrozen. If administrative
punishment or disciplinary sanctions need be inflicted on the person who is
not to be prosecuted or his/her illegal earnings need be confiscated, the
people's procuratorate shall give its procuratorial opinions which shall be
delivered to the competent organization concerned for further action. The
competent organization concerned shall duly inform the people's procuratorate
of the final upshot of the case.

    Article 143  The decision on not-to-prosecute shall be announced in
public and the statement of the decision on not-to-prosecute shall be
delivered to the person who is not to be prosecuted and his/her unit. If the
person who is not to be prosecuted is in custody, he/she shall be promptly
released.

    Article 144  The people's procuratorate that decides not to initiate
prosecution on a case submitted by a public security organ for prosecution,
shall deliver the statement of the decision on not-to-prosecute to the public
security organ. The public security organ which considers the decision on
not-to-prosecute an erroneous one, may request for reconsideration, and if
its opinion is not accepted, the case may be submitted to the people's
procuratorate at the next higher level for review.

    Article 145  If a decision on not-to-prosecute is made upon a case
involving a victim, the people's procuratorate shall deliver the statement
of the decision to the victim. The victim who refuses to accept the decision
may, within seven days from the day of receiving the decision, lodge his/her
petition with the people's procuratorate at the next higher level, requesting
for public prosecution. The people's procuratorate shall inform the victim of
the decision on review. If the people's procuratorate affirms the decision on
not-to-prosecute, the victim may institute a lawsuit in the people's court.
The victim may also start directly a lawsuit in the people's court, without
making petition. After the people's court accepts the case, the people's
procuratorate shall transfer the file of the case to the people's court.

    Article 146  If a person who is not to be prosecuted refuses to accept
the not-to-prosecute decision made by the people's procuratorate in
accordance with the stipulations of the second paragraph of Article 142 of
this Law, he/she may present a petition to the people's procuratorate within
seven days from the day of receiving the decision. The people's procuratorate
shall make a decision on re-examination and notify the person who is not to be
prosecuted, with a copy of the decision to the public security organ.

    Part III  Trial
Chapter I  Trial Organizations

    Article 147  Trial of cases of first instance in the basic and
intermediate people's courts shall be conducted by a collegial panel composed
of three members including either three judges or judges and people's
assessors in total, but trial of cases in the basic people's courts applying
the summary procedure may be conducted by a single judge alone.

    Trial of cases of first instance in higher people's courts or the Supreme
People's Court shall be conducted by a collegial panel composed of seven
members including either three to seven judges or three to seven judges and
people's assessors in total.

    When performing their functions in the people's courts, the people's
assessors shall enjoy equal rights with the judges.

    Trials of appealed and protested cases in the people's courts shall be
conducted by a collegial panel composed of three to five judges.

    The number of the collegial panel members shall be odd numbers.

    The president of the people's court or the chief judge of a division shall
designate one judge to be the presiding judge of the collegial panel. If the
president of the court or the chief judge of a division participates in a
trial, he/she himself/herself shall serve as the presiding judge.

    Article 148  If differing opinions occur in the deliberation conducted by
the collegial panel, a decision shall be made in accordance with the opinion
of the majority members, but the opinion of the minority shall be entered in
the minutes. The written minutes of the deliberation shall be signed by the
members of the collegial panel.

    Article 149  The collegial panel, following the court hearing and
deliberation, shall make a judgment. When the collegial panel considers it
difficult to make a judgment on a difficult, complicated or grave case, it
may submit the case to the president of the court for a decision whether the
case is submitted to the judicial committee for discussion and decision. The
collegial panel shall execute the decision made by the judicial committee.
Chapter II  Procedure of First Instance

    Section 1  Cases of Public Prosecution

    Article 150  The people's court, having examined the case submitted for
public prosecution in which the criminal facts are clearly stated in the bill
of prosecution and supported by list of evidence, list of witnesses and the
photostat copies or photos of the significant evidence, shall decide to open
the court session for trial of the case.

    Article 151  After a people's court has decided to open a court session,
it shall proceed with the following work:

    (1) To determine the members of the collegial panel;

    (2) To deliver to the accused a copy of the bill of prosecution of the
people's procuratorate no later than 10 days prior to the opening of the
court session, and if the accuse has not retained defenders, inform him/her
that he/she may retain defenders, or when necessary, designate a lawyer
duty-bound to provide legal assistance to defend him/her;

    (3) To notify the people's procuratorate of the time and place of the
court session three days before the opening of the session;

    (4) To summon the parties and notify the defenders, agents ad litem,
witnesses, expert witnesses and interpreters, and deliver the summons and
notices no later than three days before the opening of the court session; and

    (5) To announce three days before the opening of the court session the
subject issues at trial, the name of the accused, time and location of the
court session for cases to be heard in public.

    Article 152  The trial of cases of first instance in the people's court
shall be open to the public. However, cases involving state secrets or
personal privacy shall not be heard in public.

    No cases involving crimes committed by minors who have reached the age
of 14 but not the age of 16 shall be heard in public. Generally, cases
involving crimes committed by minors who have reached the age of 16 but not
the age of 18 shall neither be heard in public.

    The reason for not hearing a case in public shall be announced in court.

    Article 153  In the trial of a case of public prosecution by the people's
court, the people's procuratorate shall send its personnel to the court in
support of the public prosecution, and the people's procuratorate need not
send personnel to the court where the summary procedure applies under
Article 175 of this Law.

    Article 154  When a court session opens, the presiding judge shall
ascertain whether all the parties have appeared in court and announce the
subject matter of the case. He/she shall announce the roll, naming the members
of the collegial panel, the court clerk, the public prosecutor, the defender,
the agent ad litem, the expert witnesses and the interpreter; he/she shall
inform the parties of their right to ask any member of the collegial panel,
the court clerk, the public prosecutor, any expert witness or the interpreter
to withdraw; and he/she shall inform the accused of his/her right to defense.

    Article 155  After the public prosecutor has read out the bill of
prosecution in court, the accused and the victim may make statements on the
crimes alleged in the bill of prosecution, and the public prosecutor may
question the accused.

    The victim, the plaintiff in the incidental civil action and the
defender and agents ad litem may, with the permission of the presiding
judge, put questions to the accused or defendant.

    The judicial personnel may put questions to the accused.

    Article 156  When witnesses testify, the judicial personnel shall
instruct the witnesses to give testimony truthfully and advise them of the
legal responsibility which may be caused to them by giving intentionally
false testimony or concealing criminal evidence. The public prosecutor,
parties, defenders and agents ad litem may, with the permission of the
presiding judge, question the witnesses and expert witnesses. The presiding
judge, when considering any questioning irrelevant to the case, shall put a
stop to it.

    The judicial personnel may question the witnesses and expert witnesses.

    Article 157  The public prosecutor and defender shall show to the court
material evidence for the parties to identify. The written records of
testimony of the witnesses who are not present in court, the conclusions of
the expert witnesses, the written records of inquest and other documents
serving as evidence shall be read out in court. The judicial personnel shall
hear the opinions of the public prosecutor, the parties, the defender and
agents ad litem.

    Article 158  The collegial panel, if finding any evidence questionable
during the court hearing, may declare adjournment, and conduct investigation
to testify the evidence.

    The people's court, when investigating and verifying the evidence, may
conduct inquest and inspection, effect distraint, make expert evaluation and
inquiry, and freeze.

    Article 159  During a court hearing, the parties, defenders and agents ad
litem shall have the right to request new witnesses to be summoned, new
material evidence to be collected, a new expert evaluation to be made, and
another inquest to be held.

    The court shall make a decision whether to grant the abovementioned
requests.

    Article 160  The public prosecutor, the parties, the defender and agents
ad litem may, with the permission of the presiding judge, make statements
on the evidence and circumstances of the case, and may debate among them.
After the presiding judge announces the conclusion of debates, the accused has
the right to make a final statement.

    Article 161  If any participant to the litigation or visiting audience
violates the order of the court in the process of the trial, the presiding
judge shall warn him/her to desist, and those who refuse the warning shall be
forced out of the courtroom and, if the circumstances are serious, shall be
imposed on a fine not exceeding RMB 1,000 Yuan or shall be detained
for a period of not exceeding 15 days. The fine and detention must be
approved by the president of the people's court. If the punished person
refuses to accept the penalty or detention, he/she may lodge a petition with
the people's court at the next higher level for reconsideration. The
punishment shall not be suspended during the time of reconsideration.

    Those who gather a crowd to make trouble, force into the courtroom, or
humiliate, slander, threaten or beat the judicial staff members or the
participants to the litigation, thereby seriously disturbing the order of the
court, shall be according to law investigated into their criminal
responsibility if such an act constitutes a crime.

    Article 162  The presiding judge shall, after the accused makes his/her
final statement, announce the adjournment, and the collegial panel shall
proceed with the deliberations and, in accordance with the ascertained facts
and evidence, shall render the following judgments respectively in accordance
with relevant stipulations of the law:

    (1) A guilty judgment, if the accused is held guilty according to law
in a case with clear facts and confirmed and sufficient evidence;

    (2) An innocent judgment, if the accused is held innocent according to
law; or

    (3) An innocent judgment due to insufficient evidence and failure of
establishment of the alleged crime, if the accused can not be held guilty
for the crime on account of insufficient evidence.

    Article 163  In all cases, judgments shall be pronounced publicly.

    If the judgment on a case is pronounced in court, a written judgment
shall be delivered within five days to the parties and the people's
procuratorate that initiated the public prosecution. In cases where the
judgment is pronounced later on a fixed date, the written judgment shall be
delivered immediately after the pronouncement to the parties and the people's
procuratorate that initiated the public prosecution.

    Article 164  The written judgment shall be signed by the members of the
collegial panel and by the court clerk, and the time limit for appeal and the
name of the appellate court shall be clearly indicated therein.

    Article 165  A hearing may be postponed if during a trial one of the
following circumstances affecting the conduct of a trial occurs:

    (1) If it is necessary to summon new witnesses, collect new material
evidence, make a new expert evaluation or hold another inquest;

    (2) If members of the procuratorial personnel find that a case for which
public prosecution has been initiated requires supplementary investigation,
and they make a proposal to that effect; or

    (3) If the trial cannot proceed because a party applies for the
withdrawal of a judicial functionary.

    Article 166  Where a hearing is postponed according to the stipulations
of Item (2) in Article 165 of this Law, the people's procuratorate shall
complete the supplementary investigation within one month.

    Article 167  The court clerk shall make a written record of the entire
court proceedings, which shall be examined by the presiding judge and then
signed by him/her and the court clerk.

    That portion of the courtroom record comprising the testimony of
witnesses shall be read out in court or given to the witnesses to read. After
the witnesses acknowledge that the record is free of error, they shall sign
or affix their seals onto it.

    The courtroom record shall be given to the parties to read or shall be
read out to them. If a party considers that there are omissions or errors in
the record, he/she may request additions or corrections to be made. After the
parties acknowledge that the record is free of error, they shall sign or
affix their seals onto it.

    Article 168  The people's court shall pronounce the judgment on a case of
public prosecution within one month or no later than one and a half months
after accepting it for trial. Subject to one of the instances specified in
Article 126 of this Law, an extension of another month may be allowed subject
to the approval by the higher people's court of the province, autonomous
region or municipality directly under the Central Government.

    In case there is a change in the jurisdiction of the people's court, the
time limit for trial of the case shall be counted from the day of accepting
the case by the latter people's court.

    In case of supplementary investigation by the people's procuratorate,
after the case is transferred to the people's court following the completion
of such investigation, the people's court shall count anew the time limit for
the trial of the case.

    Article 169  The people's procuratorate that discovers any violation of
the litigation procedure stipulated by law in the trial of the case by the
people's court, has the right to raise opinions on correction to the
people's court.

    Section 2  Cases of Private Prosecution

    Article 170  Private prosecution includes the following cases:

    (1) Cases to be handled only upon complaints;

    (2) Cases involving minor crimes evidenced by the victim; and

    (3) Cases where the victim has evidence to prove that the act
done by the accused has infringed upon the personal and property rights of
the victim and that it shall be investigated for criminal responsibility
according to law by the public security organ or the people's procuratorate
but has not been investigated for criminal responsibility.

    Article 171  The people's court after examining a case of private
prosecution, shall proceed with it according to the respective circumstance
specified hereunder:

    (1) Try the case at a court session if the criminal facts are clear and
supported by sufficient evidence; or

    (2) Persuade the private prosecutor to withdraw the prosecution, or
dismiss the case by an order, if the case of private prosecution lacks in
criminal evidence and the private prosecutor has failed to furnish
supplementary evidence.

    The failure of the private prosecutor to appear in court without
justifiable reason after being summoned twice according to law or his/her
withdrawal during the court session without the permission of the court
shall be treated as the withdrawal of the prosecution.

    Where the judicial personnel find during the court session any evidence
questionable which requires investigation and verification, the stipulations
of Article 158 of this Law shall apply.

    Article 172  The people's court may conduct mediation in a case of
private prosecution; the private prosecutor may conclude a settlement with
the accused or withdraw the private prosecution before a judgment is
pronounced. However, mediation shall not apply to the cases specified under
Item (3) of Article 170 of this Law.

    Article 173  In the process of the proceedings, the accused in a case of
private prosecution may raise a counterclaim against the private prosecutor.
The provisions governing private prosecutions shall apply to counterclaims.

    Section 3  Summary Procedure

    Article 174  The people's courts may apply summary procedure to the cases
specified hereunder to be tried by one judge alone:

    (1) Cases of public prosecution in which facts are clear and evidence is
sufficient and the sentence, according to law, may be a fixed-term
imprisonment not more than three years, criminal detention, surveillance or
a fine alone, and to which the people's procuratorate recommends or agrees to
the application of summary procedure;

    (2) Cases to be handled only upon complaint; or

    (3) Minor criminal cases initiated by the victim and proved by
evidence.

    Article 175  Where summary procedure applies to the trial of a public
prosecution case, the people's procuratorate need not send its personnel to
the court session. The accused may make statements on or defend
himself/herself against the crime alleged in the bill of prosecution. In case
the people's procuratorate sends its personnel to the court session, the
accused and his/her defender may, with the permission of the judicial
personnel, conduct debates with the public prosecutor.

    Article 176  In case summary procedure applies to the trial of a private
prosecution case, the accused and his/her defender may, after the reading out
of the bill of prosecution and with the permission of the judicial personnel,
debate with the private prosecutor and his/her agent ad litem.

    Article 177  Cases to which summary procedure applies shall not be
restricted by the stipulations of Section 1 of this Chapter pertaining to the
procedure for interrogating the accused, questioning the witnesses and expert
witnesses, producing evidence and debate in the court. However, the final
statement made by the accused shall be heard before the judgment is
pronounced.

    Article 178  Where the summary procedure applies to a case, the people's
court shall wind up the case within 20 days from the day of accepting it.

    Article 179  If the people's court finds in the process of trial that it
is not proper to apply summary procedure, the trial shall begin anew in
accordance with the stipulations of Section 1 or Section 2 of this Chapter.
Chapter III  Procedure of Second Instance

    Article 180  The accused, private prosecutor and their legal
representatives who refuse to accept the judgment or order of a local
people's court of first instance at any level, have the right to appeal in
writing or orally to the people's court at the next higher level. The
defenders and the near relatives of the accused may, with the consent of the
accused, lodge an appeal.

    A party to an incidental civil action or his/her legal representative may
file an appeal against the portion of a judgment or order of first instance
of the local people's courts that deals with the incidental civil action.

    The accused shall not be deprived on any pretext of his/her right to
appeal.

    Article 181  If a local people's procuratorate considers that there is
some definite error in a judgment or order of first instance of a people's
court at the same level, it shall present a protest to the people's court at
the next higher level.

    Article 182  The victim and his/her legal representative who refuse to
accept the judgment of a local people's court of first instance at any level,
have the right to request, within five days from the day of receiving the
judgment, the people's procuratorate to file a protest. The people's
procuratorate shall, within five days from the day of receiving the petition
of the victim or his/her legal representative, make a decision whether a
protest be filed, and reply to the petitioner accordingly.

    Article 183  The time limit for an appeal or a protest against a judgment
shall be 10 days and the time limit for an appeal or a protest against an
order shall be five days; the time limit shall be counted from the day after
the written judgment or order is received.

    Article 184  If the accused, the private prosecutor or the plaintiff or
defendant in an incidental civil action files an appeal through the people's
court which originally tried the case, the people's court shall within three
days transfer the petition of appeal together with the case file and the
evidence to the people's court at the next higher level; at the same time it
shall deliver duplicates of the petition of appeal to the people's
procuratorate at the same level and to the other parties.

    If the accused, the private prosecutor or the plaintiff or defendant in
an incidental civil action files an appeal directly to the people's court of
second instance, that people's court shall within three days transfer the
petition of appeal to the people's court which originally tried the case, for
delivery to the people's procuratorate at the same level and to the other
parties.

    Article 185  If a local people's procuratorate at any level protests
against a judgment or order of first instance of the people's court at the
same level, it shall present a written protest through the people's court
which originally tried the case and send a copy of the written protest to the
people's procuratorate at the next higher level. The people's court which
originally tried the case shall transfer the written protest together with
the case file and evidence to the people's court at the next higher level and
shall deliver duplicates of the written protest to the parties.

    If the people's procuratorate at the next higher level considers the
protest inappropriate, it may withdraw the protest from the people's court at
the same level and notify the people's procuratorate at the next lower level.

    Article 186  A people's court of second instance shall conduct a complete
review of the facts determined and the application of law in the judgment of
first instance and shall not be limited by the scope of appeal or protest.

    If an appeal is filed by only some of the accused in a case of joint
crime, the case shall still be reviewed and handled as a whole.

    Article 187  The people's court of second instance shall form a collegial
panel to hear the appellant case in court session. The collegial panel need
not hear the case in court session if it finds that facts are clear after
examining the case file, interrogating the accused and hearing the opinions
of other parties, defender and agent ad litem. However, in case of a protest
submitted by the people's procuratorate, the people's court of second
instance shall hear it in court session.

    The people's court of second instance may hold the hearing in court
session of the appellant or protest case in the place where the case has
occurred or the place of the people's court originally hearing the case.

    Article 188  In case either a protest has been filed by the people's
procuratorate or a public prosecution case is heard in court session by the
people's court of second instance, the people's procuratorate at the same
level shall send its personnel to the court session. The people's court of
second instance must notify the people's procuratorate to read and examine
the file 10 days before the opening of the court session.

    Article 189  After hearing a case of appeal or protest against a
judgment of first instance, the people's court of second instance shall
handle it according to the conditions set forth below:

    (1) If the original judgment was correct in the determination of facts
and the application of law and appropriate in the meting out of punishment,
the people's court shall order rejection of the appeal or protest and affirm
the original judgment;

    (2) If the original judgment contained no error in the determination of
facts but the application of law was incorrect or the punishment was
inappropriately decided, the people's court shall revise the judgment; or

    (3) If the facts in the original judgment are unclear or the evidence
insufficient, the people's court may revise the judgment after ascertaining
the facts, or it may rescind the original judgment and remand the case to the
people's court which originally tried the case for retrial.

    Article 190  In the trial of a case appealed by the accused or his/her
legal representative, defender or near relative, the people's court of second
instance may not increase the criminal punishment on the accused.

    The restriction laid down in the preceding paragraph shall not apply to
cases protested by a people's procuratorate or cases appealed by private
prosecutors.

    Article 191  The people's court of second instance which discovers any
violation of the litigation procedure by the people's court of first instance
as specified hereunder, shall by a decision rescind the original judgment and
remand the case to the people's court which originally tried it for retrial:

    (1) Violation of the stipulations of this Law on trial in public;

    (2) Violation of the withdrawal system;

    (3) Deprivation of or restriction on the litigation rights of the parties
which may affect fair and just trial;

    (4) Formation of the trial organization does not conform with the law; or

    (5) Any other violations of the stipulations on litigation procedure
which may affect fair and just trial.

    Article 192  The people's court which originally tried a case shall form
a new collegial panel for conducting retrial of the case remanded to it in
accordance with the procedure of first instance. The judgment rendered after
the retrial may be appealed or protested in accordance with stipulations of
Articles 180, 181 and 182 of this Law.

    Article 193  After a people's court of second instance has reviewed an
appeal or protest against an order of first instance, it shall order
rejection of the appeal or protest or quash or revise the original order
respectively with reference to the provisions of Articles 189, 191 and 192 of
this Law.

    Article 194  Where a case is remanded by the people's court of second
instance to the people's court which originally tried it for retrial, the
people's court which originally tried the case shall count anew the time
limit for trial from the day of receiving the remanded case.

    Article 195  A people's court of second instance shall try cases of
appeal or protest with reference to the procedure of first instance unless
otherwise stipulated in this Chapter.

    Article 196  The people's court of second instance shall conclude the
trial of an appellant or protested case within one month or no later than one
and a half months. An extension of another month is allowed, subject to one
of the instances specified in Article 126 of this Law and to the approval of
or decision by the higher people's court of the province, autonomous region or
municipality directly under the Central Government; the Supreme People's
Court, however, shall make a decision on the time limit for trial of an
appellant or protested case accepted by the Supreme People's Court.

    Article 197  All judgments and orders of second instance and all
judgments and orders of the Supreme People's Court shall be final.

    Article 198  The public security organ, people's procuratorate and
people's court shall exercise due care to keep the property and accrued
interest of the criminal suspect or the accused held in custody or frozen for
examination and verification. Any units or individuals shall not be allowed
to use them for other purpose or dispose them on their own authority. The
lawful property of the victim shall be promptly returned. The contraband
articles and those which can not be preserved for long shall be disposed of
according to the relevant provisions of the state.

    The material objects to be used as evidence shall be transferred together
with the case. Where the material objects are not suitable for the transfer,
the list, photos, or other documentary evidence thereof, shall be sent along
with the case.

    After the judgment rendered by the people's court enters into effect, all
illegal money and property together with the accrued interest, except those
to be returned to the victim, shall be confiscated and handed over to the
state treasury.

    The judicial staff members who have embezzled, used for other purposes, or
privately disposed the illegal money or property or the accrued interest held
in custody or frozen, shall be investigated for criminal responsibility, or
disciplinary sanctions shall be inflicted if such an act does not constitute a
crime.
Chapter IV  Procedure for Review of Death Sentences

    Article 199  Death sentences shall be approved by the Supreme People's
Court.

    Article 200  A case of first instance where an intermediate people's
court has imposed a death sentence and the accused does not appeal shall be
reviewed by a higher people's court and reported to the Supreme People's
Court for approval. If the higher people's court does not agree with the
death sentence, it may bring the case up for trial or remand the case for
retrial.

    Cases of first instance where a higher people's court has imposed a death
sentence and the accused does not appeal, and cases of second instance
where a death sentence has been imposed shall be submitted to the Supreme
People's Court for approval.

    Article 201  A Case where an intermediate people's court has imposed a
death sentence with a two-year suspension of execution, shall be approved by
a higher people's court.

    Article 202  Reviews by the Supreme People's Court of cases involving
death sentences and reviews by a higher people's court of cases involving
death sentences with a suspension of execution shall be conducted by
collegial panels composed of three judges.
Chapter V  Procedure for Trial Supervision

    Article 203  The parties and their legal representatives and near
relatives may present a petition to the people's court or people's
procuratorate regarding a legally effective judgment or order, but the
execution of the judgment or order shall not be suspended.

    Article 204  The people's court shall conduct a retrial if the petition
submitted by the parties or their legal representatives or near relatives
meets one of the instances specified hereunder:

    (1) Error of the facts confirmed in the original judgment or order which
are proved by new evidence;

    (2) The evidence on which judgment of guilt and measurement of punishment
have relied are not reliable and sufficient, or the principal evidence of the
facts of the case contradicts each other;

    (3) Error in the application of law in the original judgment or order; or

    (4) Any judicial personnel when examining the case committed such acts as
embezzlement, acceptance of bribery, seeking personal interest by
malpractice, intentional deviation from law for giving an evil judgment.

    Article 205  If the president of a people's court at any level finds some
definite error in a legally effective judgment or order of his/her court as to
the determination of facts or application of law, he/she shall refer the
matter to the judicial committee for handling.

    If the Supreme People's Court finds some definite error in a legally
effective judgment or order of a people's court at any lower level, or if a
people's court at a higher level finds some definite error in a legally
effective judgment or order of a people's court at a lower level, it shall
have the power to bring the case up for trial itself or may direct a people's
court at a lower level to conduct a retrial.

    If any definite error is found by the Supreme People's Procuratorate in a
legally effective judgment or order of a people's court at any level, or by
the people's procuratorate at a higher level in a legally effective judgment
or order of a people's court at a lower level, the said procuratorate shall
have the right to present a protest to the people's court at the same level
in accordance with procedure for trial supervision.

    The people's court which accepted the case protested by the people's
procuratorate shall form a collegial panel to try the case or, if the facts
are not clear or evidence is not sufficient in the original judgment, may
instruct the people's court at the lower level to conduct a retrial.

    Article 206  A new collegial panel shall be formed for the retrial of a
case by a people's court in accordance with the procedure for trial
supervision. If the case was originally one of first instance, it shall be
tried in accordance with the procedure of first instance and the new judgment
or order may be appealed or protested. If the case was originally one of
second instance or was brought up for trial by a people's court at a higher
level, it shall be tried in accordance with the procedure of second instance
and the judgment or order rendered shall be final.

    Article 207  The people's court re-trying a case in accordance with the
procedure for trial supervision, shall conclude the trial of the case within
three months from the day of the decision on bringing up the case for trial
or retrial, and the time limit, in case of a need of extension, shall not
exceed six months.

    Where a people's court accepts a case protested and conducts the trial of
the case in accordance with the procedure for trial supervision, the
stipulations of the preceding paragraph shall apply to the time limit for the
trial; where it is necessary to instruct the people's court at a lower level
to conduct a retrial, a decision shall be made within one month from the day
of accepting the protest, and the stipulations of the preceding paragraph
shall apply to the time limit for the trial by the people's court at a lower
level.

    Part IV  Execution

    Article 208  Judgments and orders shall be executed after they become
legally effective.

    The following judgments and orders are legally effective:

    (1) judgments and orders against which no appeal or protest has been
filed within the legally prescribed time limit;

    (2) judgments and orders of final instance; and

    (3) judgments of the death penalty approved by the Supreme People's
Court and judgments of the death penalty with a two-year suspension of
execution approved by a higher people's court.

    Article 209  If the accused in custody is given the verdict of being not
guilty or exempted from criminal punishment by a people's court of first
instance, he/she shall be released immediately after the judgment is
pronounced.

    Article 210  When a judgment of the death penalty with immediate
execution is pronounced or approved by the Supreme People's Court, the
President of the Supreme People's Court shall sign and issue an order to
execute the death sentence.

    If a criminal sentenced to death with a two-year suspension of execution
has not intentionally committed any crime during the period of suspension of
the sentence, his/her punishment shall therefore be mitigated on expiration of
the suspension period of the death sentence, and the executing organ shall
submit a written recommendation to the higher people's court for an order; if
a crime committed intentionally is verified through investigation, his/her
death sentence shall therefore be executed, and the higher people's court
shall submit it to the Supreme People's Court for approval.

    Article 211  After receiving an order from the Supreme People's Court to
execute a death sentence, the people's court at a lower level shall cause the
sentence to be executed within seven days. However, under either of the
following conditions the people's court at a lower level shall suspend
execution and immediately submit a report to the Supreme People's Court for
an order:

    (1) If it is discovered before the execution of the sentence that the
judgment may contain an error;

    (2) If the criminal has exposed important criminal facts before the
execution of the sentence or has rendered other important meritorious service
which may cause a change in the judgment; or

    (3) If the criminal is pregnant.

    After the reasons in Items (1) and (2) of the preceding paragraph causing
the suspension of the execution have disappeared, the sentence can be
executed only after a report is submitted to, and another order to execute
the death sentence is signed and issued by the President of the Supreme
People's Court. In case the execution is suspended for the reason in Item (3)
of the preceding paragraph, the matter shall be reported to the Supreme
People's Court, requesting it to revise the sentence according to law.

    Article 212  Before a people's court causes a death sentence to be
executed, it shall notify the people's procuratorate at the same level to
send an official to supervise the execution.

    The death penalty shall be executed by means of shooting or injection.

    The death penalty may be executed at the execution ground or in the
designated place for detention.

    The judicial personnel directing the execution shall verify the identity
of the criminal, ask him/her whether he/she has any last words or letters and
then deliver him/her to the executioner for execution of the death sentence.
If it is discovered before the execution that there may be an error, the
execution shall be suspended and a report submitted to the Supreme People's
Court for an order.

    Executions of death sentences shall be announced but shall not be held in
public.

    After a death sentence is executed, the attending court clerk shall
prepare a written record of it. The people's court that caused the death
sentence to be executed shall submit a report on the execution to the Supreme
People's Court.

    After a death sentence is executed, the people's court that caused the
sentence to be executed shall notify the family of the criminal.

    Article 213  When a criminal is delivered for the execution of the
sentence, the people's court entrusting the execution shall deliver the legal
documents to the prison or other executing organ.

    In case criminals are sentenced to death penalty with a two-year
suspension of execution, life imprisonment or fixed-term imprisonment, the
public security organ shall according to law deliver the criminals to the
prison for execution of the penalty. In case the criminals are sentenced to
fixed-term imprisonment and the remaining prison term is no more than one
year prior to the delivery for execution, the execution shall be effected by
the detention house. In case criminals are sentenced to criminal detention,
the execution shall be effected by the public security organ.

    In case the criminals are minors, the execution of the penalty shall be
effected by the education-under-surveillance house for minors.

    The executing organs shall timely take the criminals into their custody
and notify the criminals' families.

    The criminals who are sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment, criminal
detention shall, on completion of serving the sentence, be issued a release
certificate by the executing organ.

    Article 214  The criminals who are sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment
or criminal detention, may be permitted to temporarily serve his term outside
prison, subject to one of the following instances:

    (1) If the criminal is seriously ill and needs to be released on bail
for medical treatment; or

    (2) If the criminal is a pregnant woman or a woman breast-feeding her own
baby.

    The criminals shall not be released on bail for medical treatment, if
the release on bail for medical treatment, when effected, may cause danger
to the society, or if the criminal has injured or disabled himself.

    Where a criminal assuredly has serious illness and must be released on
bail for medical treatment, a documentary evidence shall be issued by a
hospital designated by a provincial-level people's government, and such
release shall be submitted for examination and approval in pursuance of the
procedures stipulated by law.

    If the criminal who has been released on bail for medical treatment is
found not in conformity with, or in serious violation of the stipulations on,
the conditions required for being released on bail for medical treatment,
he/she shall be timely put in prison.

    Where a criminal who is sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment or criminal
detention is unable to take care of himself/herself in daily life and his/her
serving his/her term outside is not likely to harm the society, he/she may be
temporarily allowed to serve his/her term outside prison.

    That a criminal serves his/her term outside the prison shall be effected
by the public security organ in the place of his/her residence; the executing
organ shall exercise strict surveillance and supervision on him/her, while the
grass-roots organization and the criminal's original unit shall assist in the
conduct of supervision.

    Article 215  The organs approving the temporary execution of the service
outside prison shall deliver a copy of the decision of approval to the
people's procuratorate. The people's procuratorate which does not consider
the temporary execution of the service outside prison as appropriate shall,
within one month from the day of receiving the notice, deliver its written
opinions to the organ approving the temporary execution of the service
outside prison. The organ approving the temporary execution of the service
outside prison shall, upon receiving the written opinions, promptly conduct a
review of the decision.

    Article 216  After the circumstance causing the temporary execution
outside prison terminates, the criminal who has not completed the term of
imprisonment, shall be put in prison in time.

    If the criminal died during the period of the execution of service
outside prison, the matter shall be timely notified to the prison.

    Article 217  A criminal who has been sentenced to imprisonment with a
suspension of execution shall be delivered by the public security organ to
his/her unit or a grass-roots organization for observation.

    A criminal released on parole shall be supervised by a public security
organ during the probation period for parole.

    Article 218  Sentences of public surveillance or deprivation of political
rights that have been imposed on criminals shall be executed by the public
security organs. When such a sentence has been completed, the executing organ
shall notify the criminal himself/herself and publicly announce to the masses
concerned the ending of public surveillance or the restoration of political
rights.

    Article 219  If a criminal sentenced to a fine fails to pay the fine
within the time limit, the people's court shall compel him/her to pay. If
he/she has real difficulties in paying because he/she has suffered an
unavoidable disaster, an order may be made to reduce the fine or exempt
him/her from payment.

    Article 220  All sentences of confiscation of property, whether imposed
as a supplementary punishment or independently, shall be executed by the
people's courts; when necessary, the people's courts may execute such
judgments jointly with the public security organs.

    Article 221  If a criminal commits a new crime while serving his/her
sentence, or if a criminal act is discovered that was not known at the time
of judgment, the executing organ shall transfer the case to the people's
procuratorate for handling.

    If a criminal sentenced to public surveillance, criminal detention,
fix-term imprisonment or life imprisonment shows true repentance or renders
meritorious service while serving his/her sentence and should be granted a
commutation of sentence or be released on parole according to law, the
executing organ shall submit a written recommendation to the people's court
for examination and an order.

    Article 222  The people's procuratorate which considers the order of the
people's court on commutation of the sentence or on release on parole as
inappropriate, shall, within 20 days from the day of receiving a copy of
the order, submit to the people's court its written opinions on correction.
The people's court shall, within one month from the day of receiving the
opinions on correction, reform a collegial panel for trial and make a final
order.

    Article 223  The prison or other executing organ which, in the execution
of a punishment, believes that there is an error in the judgment, or if the
criminal makes a petition, shall refer the matter to the people's
procuratorate or the people's court originally rendering the judgment for
handling.

    Article 224  The people's procuratorates shall exercise supervision over
the activities conducted by the executing organs to execute the criminal
punishments in order to see that they are in conformity with the law. If
anything is found illegal, the executing organ concerned shall be notified to
make correction.
Supplementary Provisions

    Article 225  The security departments of the Army exercise the right to
investigate the criminal cases occurring in the army units.

    The crimes committed in jail by the criminals shall be investigated by
the prisons.

    The relevant stipulations of this Law shall apply to the criminal cases
handled by the security departments of the Army and by the prisons.



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