China issues new rule to stop wealthy from buying their way out of jail

Top prosecutors have ordered greater scrutiny to ensure corrupt officials and law-breaking business executives do not use money or exert power to avoid serving their full sentences.

The instructions came in a new directive on sentence reductions and parole.

The Supreme People's Procuratorate announced yesterday that local prosecution staff must review all applications for sentence reductions and parole if a case involves former officials, people convicted of financial fraud, gang members, terrorists, or other prisoners involved in high-profile cases.

The directive requires at least two staff members from local procuratorates, including at least one prosecutor, to attend court reviews of parole applications.

"The new regulation basically targets the powerful and the rich in prison. These people are more likely to offer bribes for a sentence reduction," Yuan Qiguo, a department director from the Supreme People's Procuratorate, said.

Yuan said the top procuratorate would also give a new directive on inmates serving sentences outside prison.

The move followed a nine-month investigation that uncovered 711 cases where prisoners were given inappropriate sentence reductions or parole. Of those, 76 cases involved officials at ranks higher than bureau chief.