中国确认特赦四类囚犯

The National People's Congress Standing Committee approved the resolution during its most recent bi-monthly session. President Xi Jinping signed off on the deal on Saturday.

China first granted pardons to non-war criminals in 1959, while the first amnesty deal for war criminals came in 1975. The resolution passed on Saturday is China's 8th amnesty since its founding in 1949.

Chu Huaizhi, a professor of law at Peking University, speaks to the significance of the latest measure.

"Besides celebrating the victory in World War II and the war against Japanese aggression, this amnesty also shows the government's confidence in its politics. What's more, it also conforms to the basic policy of our Criminal Law - severity tempered with gentleness."

Four categories of prisoners who are not deemed a threat to society and who were sentenced before Jan. 1, 2015, will be considered:

1) Criminals who fought in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the civil war against the Kuomintang.

2) Criminals who participated in wars to safeguard national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity after 1949, with the exception of those found guilty of serious crimes including embezzlement and bribe-taking, terrorism and organized crime, and repeat offenders.

3) Criminals who are 75 or above, and those with physical disabilities who are unable to care for themselves.

4) Those who committed crimes while under the age of 18 and received a maximum sentence of three years in prison, or who have less than a year of their prison term to serve, with the exception of those convicted of homicide, rape, terrorism or narcotics offences.

Li Shishi, director of the committee's legislative affairs commission, emphasizes several restrictions of the new measure.

"Anyone in prison through the anti-corruption campaign or for national security, as well as those convicted of graft, bribery, terrorism and sabotage will not be eligible for the amnesty."

Judicial authorities say there are "several thousand qualified prisoners" under the latest legislation. They are expected to be released by the end of 2015. The exact number of pardoned prisoners will remain unknown until local courts complete all amnesty rulings.

Wang Ping, professor of law at China University of Political Science and Law, says the latest amnesty's connection to China's war against the Japanese invasion sets it apart from previous pardons.

launched and participated in unjust wars. While for those who participated in just wars, for world peace and for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, we should show our respect and gratitude."

Professor Chu from Peking University also says this amnesty reflects China's tradition of respecting the elderly and caring for the young, and it is in line with the Criminal Law, which was amended in 2011 to allow leniency in the punishment of the aged.

For CRI, I'm Victor Ning.