Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday signed and issued an order of special pardons for nine categories of criminals on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The decision of granting the special pardons had been adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, at a bimonthly session which closed Saturday.
国家主席习近平29日签署发布特赦令，根据十三届全国人大常委会第十一次会议29日通过的全国人大常委会关于在中华人民共和国成立七十周年之际对部分服刑罪犯予以特赦的决定，对九类服刑罪犯实行特赦。

The nine categories of criminals who are serving their sentences effective before Jan. 1, 2019, will be pardoned, according to the order. They include:
根据国家主席特赦令，对依据2019年1月1日前人民法院作出的生效判决正在服刑的九类罪犯实行特赦：

1. Those who fought in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the Chinese People's War of Liberation;
一是参加过中国人民抗日战争、中国人民解放战争的；

2. Those who fought in wars to safeguard national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity after the founding of the PRC in 1949;
二是中华人民共和国成立以后，参加过保卫国家主权、安全和领土完整对外作战的；

3. Those who made fairly big contributions to the advancement of the country's major projects after the founding of the PRC and received honors of provincial and ministerial level or above, including "Model Workers," "Advanced Workers," and "May 1 Labor Medals;"
三是中华人民共和国成立以后，为国家重大工程建设做过较大贡献并获得省部级以上“劳动模范”“先进工作者”“五一劳动奖章”等荣誉称号的；

4. Those who used to be on active service and received first class merit citations or higher-level awards;
四是曾系现役军人并获得个人一等功以上奖励的；

5. Those who were sentenced to less than three years in prison or have less than one year of remaining prison terms for acts of excessive defense or acts to avert danger in emergencies that exceed the limits of necessity;
五是因防卫过当或者避险过当，被判处三年以下有期徒刑或者剩余刑期在一年以下的；

6. Those aged 75 or above who have serious physical disabilities and are unable to take care of themselves;
六是年满七十五周岁、身体严重残疾且生活不能自理的；

7. Those who committed crimes when they were under 18, and were sentenced to less than three years in prison or have less than one year of remaining prison terms;
七是犯罪的时候不满十八周岁，被判处三年以下有期徒刑或者剩余刑期在一年以下的；

8. Female prisoners who have been bereaved of their spouses and have to take care of their underage children or children with serious disabilities who are unable to care for themselves; they are eligible only under the condition that they were sentenced to less than three years in prison or that their remaining jail terms are less than one year;
八是丧偶且有未成年子女或者有身体严重残疾、生活不能自理的子女，确需本人抚养的女性，被判处三年以下有期徒刑或者剩余刑期在一年以下的；

9. Those granted a parole who have undergone more than one fifth of their parole probation periods, or who received a public surveillance sentence.
九是被裁定假释已执行五分之一以上假释考验期的，或者被判处管制的。

Criminals who fall into the above nine categories but are found in any of the following situations shall not be pardoned, according to the order:
国家主席特赦令同时明确，上述九类对象中，具有以下情形之一的，不得特赦：

1. Those who fall into the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th, 8th and 9th categories listed above, but committed embezzlement, acceptance of bribes, servicemen's transgression of duties, intentional homicide, rape, robbery, kidnap, arson, explosion, spreading hazardous substances, organized crimes of violence, mafia-natured organized crimes, trafficking in narcotic drugs, crimes of endangering national security, terrorism, or were convicted as principal criminals or recidivists of other organized crimes;
一是第二、三、四、七、八、九类对象中系贪污受贿犯罪，军人违反职责犯罪，故意杀人、强奸、抢劫、绑架、放火、爆炸、投放危险物质或者有组织的暴力性犯罪，黑社会性质的组织犯罪，贩卖毒品犯罪，危害国家安全犯罪，恐怖活动犯罪的罪犯，其他有组织犯罪的主犯，累犯的；

2. Among criminals falling into the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 9th categories, those who have more than 10 years of remaining prison terms to serve, and who are still serving life imprisonment or in the suspension period of death penalty;
二是第二、三、四、九类对象中剩余刑期在十年以上的和仍处于无期徒刑、死刑缓期执行期间的；

3. Those who had been pardoned but were subject to criminal punishment again for crimes;
三是曾经被特赦又因犯罪被判处刑罚的；

4. Those who refused to admit their guilt, repent and mend their ways;
四是不认罪悔改的；

5. Those who are deemed an actual threat to society after evaluation.
五是经评估具有现实社会危险性的。

Prisoners who meet the above-mentioned requirements on June 29, 2019 will be released upon court ruling, according to the order.
国家主席特赦令指示，对2019年6月29日符合上述条件的服刑罪犯，经人民法院依法作出裁定后，予以释放。

Special pardons this year are the ninth after the founding of the PRC, according to an official with the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee.
全国人大常委会法制工作委员会有关负责人表示，今年进行的这次特赦，是新中国成立后第九次特赦。

From 1949 to 1975, seven special pardons were granted to prisoners including war criminals and counterrevolutionary criminals. In 2015, the country pardoned 31,527 criminals to mark the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
新中国成立后至1975年，对战争罪犯、反革命罪犯和部分普通刑事罪犯进行过七次特赦。2015年，在中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利70周年之际，我国又特赦了31527名罪犯。

China's Constitution has explicit stipulations related to special pardons, the official said when expounding on the decision.
宪法中对特赦制度作了明确规定。

According to Article 80 of the Constitution, the President of the PRC issues orders of special pardons in pursuance of the decisions of the NPC Standing Committee.
根据第八十条的规定，中华人民共和国主席根据全国人民代表大会常务委员会的决定，发布特赦令。

It is of great significance to grant special pardons to criminals at the historic moment of the 70th anniversary of the PRC's founding, said the official, adding the move demonstrates the efforts of the Communist Party of China Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core to inherit and carry on the fine traditions of the Chinese civilization including discreet penalty and benevolence.
2019年是新中国成立70周年，在这一重要历史时刻，对部分罪犯实行特赦，具有重大意义。有利于彰显以习近平同志为核心的党中央承续中华文明慎刑恤囚、明刑弼教的优良传统。

Moreover, the special pardons can help promote the notion of law-based governance, create a social atmosphere of Constitution-based governance, advance China's rule of law, and promote social harmony and stability, said the official.
有利于弘扬全面依法治国理念，形成依宪执政、依宪治国的良好社会氛围，深入推进法治中国建设，促进社会和谐稳定。

The move also demonstrates China's judicial protection of human rights and the country's open, democratic, rule-of-law and culturally advanced image, said the official.
有利于展现我国人权司法保障水平，进一步树立我国开放、民主、法治、文明的国际形象。

The special pardons must be carried out in accordance with the law and in an active, prudent and orderly manner that honors fairness and justice, the official noted.
此次特赦必须遵循以下基本原则：坚持积极审慎，坚持公平公正，坚持依法办理，坚持平稳有序。

The pardoned include both Chinese criminals and those of foreign nationalities, the official added.
特赦对象，既包括中国籍罪犯，也包括外国籍罪犯。