2015年CRI China's Revised Criminal Law Takes Effect

 

Under the new amendments², those convicted of abusing a child or an elderly person can face up to 3-years in prison, a move many here in China are applauding.

"Laws are supposed to protect the disadvantaged. Everyone will get old, and most people can have a child. It's most people's hope that our children and parents can live in peace. I think this ammendment to the law goes a long way toward achieving that."

Abuse cases have been gaining more noteriety here in China the past few years, notably³ among children.

In a case just this past month, a kindergarten teacher in Henan was drummed out of her job after it was discovered she was forcing the children in her class to pose nude⁴ for photos.

But while these cases almost always ignite public outrage⁵, under the previous rules, most of the offenders⁶ would only end up losing their jobs or facing no more than administrative⁷ penalties.

Legal expert Ruan Qilin says the revision to the law has come at the right time, as society is beginning to change in China.

"Given that more and more Chinese will have to entrust⁸ public institutions to take care of their children and parents in the future due to their busy schedules, the timing⁹ of the amendment¹ is significant."

The ammendments to the Criminal Law, first adopted in August, also includes tougher punishments for those found cheating on state-level exams.

Instead of those found cheating having their scores invalidated, the new rules also include the possiblity of jail time.

Li Shishi is head of the National People's Congress Standing¹⁰ Committee's Legislative¹¹ affairs division.

"Those who hire substitutes to sit exams for them or organize or facilitate cheating, such as providing cheating devices, substitute test-takers or leaking and spreading exam content will face criminal charges."

Under the new law, students caught hiring test-takers may end up spending time behind bars.

Those who set up ways to people to cheat could be hit with up to 7-years in prison.

These rules only apply to state-level exams such as the national college entrance exam and the national public servant exam.

Meanwhile, the new changes to the Criminal Law also include heavier penalties for those caught spreading false information through social media.

Anyone found knowingly passing along false information through Weibo and Wechat can now face up to 7-years in prison.

This is up from the 3-year maximum set in 2013 by the Supreme¹² People's Court.

Under the rules, microbloggers who knowingly post false or unverified claims which are viewed either 5-thousand times or forwarded 500-times can be sent to jail.

At the same time, the revised law now also lists the sexual assault of men as a crime, while the previous crime of sex with an underage prostitutes has been repealed¹³ and reclassified as rape¹⁴, bringing with it tougher sentencing guidelines for those convicted.

1 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

2 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

3 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

4 nude   

adj.裸体的；n.裸体者，裸体艺术品

参考例句：

• It's a painting of the Duchess of Alba in the nude.这是一幅阿尔巴公爵夫人的裸体肖像画。
• She doesn't like nude swimming.她不喜欢裸泳。

5 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

6 offenders   

n.冒犯者( offender的名词复数 )；犯规者；罪犯；妨害…的人（或事物）

参考例句：

• Long prison sentences can be a very effective deterrent for offenders. 判处长期徒刑可对违法者起到强有力的威慑作用。
• Purposeful work is an important part of the regime for young offenders. 使从事有意义的劳动是管理少年犯的重要方法。

7 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

8 entrust   

v.信赖，信托，交托

参考例句：

• I couldn't entrust my children to strangers.我不能把孩子交给陌生人照看。
• They can be entrusted to solve major national problems.可以委托他们解决重大国家问题。

9 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

10 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

11 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

12 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

13 repealed   

撤销，废除( repeal的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The Labour Party repealed the Act. 工党废除了那项法令。
• The legislature repealed the unpopular Rent Act. 立法机关废除了不得人心的租借法案。

14 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。