China mulls amendments to Criminal Procedure Law to better protect rights

China's top legislature on Monday began deliberating a draft amendment to the Criminal Procedure Law aimed at better punishing crimes while further protecting the rights of participants in criminal proceedings.

The 55-article draft amendment was submitted for its first reading at a bimonthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), which runs from Monday through Friday.

The proposed amendments also cover compulsory measures against persons, the sealing up, distraining, freezing and handling of property involved in criminal cases, criminal proceedings involving minors, and foreign-related criminal proceedings.

China's current Criminal Procedure Law was adopted in 1979 and amended in 1996, 2012 and 2018.