China approves prisoner amnesty ahead of military parade to mark end of WWII, state media reports

Beijing on Saturday approved a prisoner amnesty in a gesture to mark the 70th anniversary of the defeat of Japan in the second world war, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

The standing committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) adopted the measure covering thousands of war veterans as well as elderly, young or sick prisoners, the news service said.

The country is preparing to hold a massive military parade Thursday to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in 1945. China has declared a national holiday for the day and financial markets will also be closed the following day.

The conflict is officially known in China as the “Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War”.

Citing judicial authorities, Xinhua’s report said “several thousand” prisoners are estimated to be eligible for the amnesty. The oldest prisoner is 95, it said.

Four categories of criminals who are determined to be no threat to society are covered by the pardon, the report said.