CCTV9英语新闻：People serving time in labor camps set free（在线收听）

Chinese authorities have said that all those still serving time in labour camps will be released today. But they added that the penalties handed out before the abolition of the labour camps will still be considered legitimate.

The Vice director of the Criminal Law Office from the NPC’s Legislative Affairs Commission, Lei Jianbin, explains more of the legal details.

"The past few years have seen fewer and fewer people that should have been sent to labour camps. And the serving time of those in the camps has also been dropping. Since March, no new labourers have been sent to the labour camps across the country. And now even those who haven’t finished their due time in the labour camps, will be released. Illegal acts that were handled by the re-education through labour system in the past, will now be handled in accordance with the country’s Criminal Law, and the Penalties for Administration of Public Security Law and other legislation. And procedures will be more strict. People who aren’t satisfied with their judgement can file an appeal to government offices or the courts," he said.