The number of death sentences meted out last year by Chinese courts hit a
record low in more than a decade, said Liu Jiachen, a political advisor and
former vice president of the Supreme People's Court.
China has seen a gradual decrease of capital crime cases since 1997 and less
use of severe punishments including life-long imprisonment, said Liu, who was
here attending the annual session of the National Committee of the Chinese
People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
"We can not rely our hope on death penalties to curb crimes. Wemay tackle the
increasing criminal cases via many other ways," Liusaid.
"The concept also accords with the world's trend to gradually lighten
penalties, which means stringent punishment can be imposedfor only a small
number of serious offenders," he said.
About 150,000 people are released every year upon the completion of their
sentenced jail terms, he said. However, the former senior judge did not reveal
the exact number of death sentences last year.
One of the most important reforms on China's judicial system isthe supreme
court's retrieval of right to review and approve deathpenalties.
China's top judge Xiao Yang said on Tuesday the supreme court took back the
power to review and ratify all death penalty cases as of Jan. 1, 2007, ending a
26-year practice of letting courts atlower levels to re-check and decide on part
of such cases.
Xiao revealed that last year 889,042 people were convicted by courts at all
levels across the country, and 153,724 people received sentences of longer than
five years, including life imprisonment and death penalty.
