AN official pardon is being considered for prisoners who meet certain criteria, according to a draft decision submitted to China’s top legislature yesterday, only the eighth time this has happened since New China was founded in 1949.

    To mark this year’s commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, four categories of prisoners who are not deemed a threat to society may become eligible for amnesty, Li Shishi, director of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee’s legislative affairs commission, told a bimonthly session that started yesterday.

    That will include prisoners who fought in the war against the Japanese invaders (1937-1945) and the civil war against the Kuomintang (KMT) army from 1945 to 1949, or who fought in wars post-1949 to “protect the country’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity,” or who are older than 75.

    Criminals who committed crimes while under the age of 18 and received a maximum sentence of three years in prison, or those whose remaining prison term is less than one year, are also included.

    He did not say how many people would be set free as a result of this amnesty, but said that exceptions will apply to people convicted of serious crimes like murder, rape, bribery or terror offenses.

    There have only been seven previous instances of these special amnesties since 1949.

    The move is in line with international practice and will help increase popular confidence in the Party’s efforts to boost the rule of law, Li said.

    The act can also inspire people’s patriotism and promote social stability, he said.

    (SD-Xinhua)