BEIJING: Chinese legislature has reclassified sex with minor girls including child prostitutes as rape. The move comes after decades of child abuse and abusers getting away with lighter sentences.
The National People's Congress Standing Committee, which is the highest law making body, repealed an existing law concerning the crime of sex with underage prostitutes because it resulted in lighter sentences, and reclassified the crime as rape.
Chinese officials have often been accused of hiring underage prostitutes. Many businessmen and officials are also known to travel to Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar looking for underage prostitutes.
At present, sex with underage prostitutes attracts jail sentences from five to 15 years. After being regarded as rape, offenders will get much tougher sentences, officials said.
Officials pointed out that some men hire underage girls because of a mistaken belief that sex with minors bring good luck resulting in health benefits and job promotions. This has given rise to a widespread industry filled with pimps who procure underage girls.
School teachers and principals have also been caught spending nights in hotels with underage school girls resulting in nationwide outcries.
In another move, the legislature amended a judicial procedure concerning corrupt officials, who receive suspended death sentence with a two-year reprieve. Under the changed law, they will face life imprisonment after the two-year reprieve is over.
The purpose of the law amendment is to "safeguard judicial fairness" and prevent "the most corrupt criminals from serving shorter prison terms through commutation," according to the top legislature.
The amendment targets officials who seek commutation, parole or non-prison sentences in dubious ways, Ruan Qilin, a professor of the China University of Political Science and Law was quoted in the official media as saying.
The National People's Congress Standing Committee, which is the highest law making body, repealed an existing law concerning the crime of sex with underage prostitutes because it resulted in lighter sentences, and reclassified the crime as rape.
Chinese officials have often been accused of hiring underage prostitutes. Many businessmen and officials are also known to travel to Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar looking for underage prostitutes.
At present, sex with underage prostitutes attracts jail sentences from five to 15 years. After being regarded as rape, offenders will get much tougher sentences, officials said.
Officials pointed out that some men hire underage girls because of a mistaken belief that sex with minors bring good luck resulting in health benefits and job promotions. This has given rise to a widespread industry filled with pimps who procure underage girls.
School teachers and principals have also been caught spending nights in hotels with underage school girls resulting in nationwide outcries.
In another move, the legislature amended a judicial procedure concerning corrupt officials, who receive suspended death sentence with a two-year reprieve. Under the changed law, they will face life imprisonment after the two-year reprieve is over.
The purpose of the law amendment is to "safeguard judicial fairness" and prevent "the most corrupt criminals from serving shorter prison terms through commutation," according to the top legislature.
The amendment targets officials who seek commutation, parole or non-prison sentences in dubious ways, Ruan Qilin, a professor of the China University of Political Science and Law was quoted in the official media as saying.
0 comments:
Post a Comment