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December 24, 2013

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Labor camp abolition before top legislature

Source: Xinhua | December 24, 2013, Tuesday | Print Edition

China’s top legislature, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, began reading a motion on abolition of the reeducation through labor system (laojiao) yesterday.

A State Council decision on reeducation through labor was approved by the top legislature in 1957, establishing the laojiao system. Supplementary regulations were approved in 1979.

The current motion points out that, for over 50 years, the system played an important role in safeguarding public security, maintaining social stability and correcting illegal behavior.

Constant improvement to the legal system means the system’s mission has been completed, it said.

Yang Huanning, vice minister of public security, explained the motion to lawmakers at the bimonthly session of the NPC Standing Committee, which  began yesterday and will end on Saturday.

Yang said that with amendments to the Criminal Law and the implementation of laws such as the Law on Penalties for Administration of Public Security and the Anti-Drug Law, laojiao’s functions had been gradually replaced and its use had been reduced in recent years.

“The time is ripe to abolish the reeducation through labor system,” Yang said.

Setting free

He said that once it is abolished, relevant laws, judicial interpretations and documents will be adjusted accordingly. The State Council will organize departments to do the jobs required by the annulment of the system, including setting free those still in labor camps, reassigning police in charge and changing locations to other purposes.

Reeducation through labor dealt with minor offenders whose crimes did not warrant court proceedings. It allowed detention for up to four years without an open trial.

According to the key policy document approved by the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Party Central Committee and published in November, China was to abolish the laojiao system as part of a major effort to protect human rights.

Although the Party has made the decision, the system cannot be formally done away with until the top legislature approves the motion for its abolition.

 

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