Arresting bought leniency

Criminal justice: Felons convicted of serious corruption would be prohibited from seeking shorter sentences, under a third reading of the draft amendment to the Criminal Law. The amendment aims to "safeguard judicial fairness". [Photo/China Daily]

The death penalty with two year's reprieve usually represents a guarantee that the convict will never be executed and will probably have a chance of being released on bail for medical treatment or have his or her term of imprisonment reduced.

This supposedly severe legal penalty has provided convicted corrupt officials with a lot of leeway to maneuver for medical treatment on bail or a reduction in their terms of imprisonment.

But if a draft amendment to the Criminal Law is approved by the National People's Congress Standing Committee, life imprisonment without parole could be meted out to those convicted of serious corruption after their death penalty with two years' reprieve is commuted to life imprisonment.

This will protect justice and fairness by ensuring that convicted corrupt officials get the punishment they deserve for the crimes they have committed against the State and the people.

There have been a number of cases, in which convicted corrupt officials have had their terms of imprisonment reduced or received parole by using their connections or by bribing judicial staff.

In 2014, a nationwide inspection found 82 prisoners who used to be ranking officials had managed to get their term of imprisonment reduced through illegal means.

The higher the rank, the greater the corruption and the more connections an official can use to wriggle away from justice. This compromises the sanctity of the law.

The penalty of life imprisonment without parole and without the possibility of a reduction in the sentence will not just squeeze the space for under-the-table deals for reduced prison terms. It will also serve to make the punishment more of a deterrent.

With the propensity for less capital punishment, life imprisonment without parole and without a reduction in the term of imprisonment will serve as a suitably severe punishment for serious corruption. So there is enough reason for it to be extended to other serious crimes.