Courts across China have been urged by the country's
supreme court to use
lethal injections for executions in capital punishment cases.
Addressing a national meeting Thursday on the issue of using lethal
injections, Liu Jiachen, vice-president of Supreme People's Court,
called on local courts to switch to the chemical method of
execution as soon as possible.
Liu said the move was designed to carry out capital punishment in a
"more humane and scientific way."
Liu said all capital cities and other major cities should begin the
practice by the end of this year.
He
urged leading officials of courts at various levels to make sure
the executions by injection are conducted in a professional way and
in accordance with the regulations formulated by the supreme
court.
Lethal injection was first given legal status as a way of execution
of capital punishment on January 1, 1997.
Under China's amended Criminal Procedure Law, which became
effective on January 1, 1997, capital punishment may be done by
shooting, lethal injection and other methods.
Since then, lethal injections have been ordered by the Kunming
Municipal Intermediate Court in southwest China's Yunnan province
on a trial basis.
Experience shows the prisoners awaiting for capital punishment and
their family members prefer the method of lethal injection, the
meeting was told.
(chinadaily.com
09/14/2001)