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Chapter VI Compulsory Measures

Article 50 The People's Courts, the People's Procuratorates and the public security organs may, according to the circumstances of a case, issue a warrant to compel the appearance of the criminal suspect or defendant, order him to obtain a guarantor pending trial or subject him to residential surveillance.

Article 51 The People's Courts, the People's Procuratorates and the public security organs may allow criminal suspects or defendants under any of the following conditions to obtain a guarantor pending trial or subject them to residential surveillance:

(1) They may be sentenced to public surveillance, criminal detention or simply imposed with supplementary punishments; or

(2) They may be imposed with a punishment of fixed-term imprisonment at least and would not endanger society if they are allowed to obtain a guarantor pending trial or are placed under residential surveillance.

The public security organs shall execute the decision on allowing a criminal suspect or defendant to obtain a guarantor pending trial or on subjecting him to residential surveillance.

Article 52 A criminal suspect or defendant in custody and his legal representatives or near relatives shall have the right to apply for obtaining a guarantor pending trial.

Article 53 If the People's Courts, the People's Procuratorates or the public security organs decide to allow a criminal suspect or defendant to obtain a guarantor pending trial, they shall order the criminal suspect or defendant to provide a guarantor or pay guaranty money.

Article 54 A guarantor must be a person who meets the following conditions:

(1) to be not involved in the current case;

(2) to be able to perform a guarantor's duties;

(3) to be entitled to political rights and not subjected to restriction of personal freedom; and

(4) to have a fixed domicile and steady income.

Article 55 A guarantor shall perform the following duties:

(1) to see to it that the person under his guarantee observes the provisions of Article 56 of this Law; and

(2) to promptly report to the executing organ when finding that the person under his guarantee may commit or has already committed acts in violation of the provisions of Article 56 of this Law.

If the guarantor fails to report promptly when the person under his guarantee has committed an act in violation of the provisions of Article 56 of this Law, he shall be fined. If the case constitutes a crime, criminal responsibility shall be investigated according to law.

Article 56 A criminal suspect or defendant who has obtained a guarantor pending trial shall observe the following provisions:

(1) not to leave the city or county where he resides without permission of the executing organ;

(2) to be present in time at a court when summoned;

(3) not to interfere in any form with the witness when the latter gives testimony; and

(4) not to destroy or falsify evidence or tally confessions.

If a criminal suspect or defendant who has obtained a guarantor pending trial violates the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the guaranty money paid shall be confiscated. In addition, in light of specific circumstances, the criminal suspect or defendant shall be ordered to write a statement of repentance, pay guaranty money or provide a guarantor again, or shall be subjected to residential surveillance or arrested. If a criminal suspect or defendant is found not to have violated the provisions in the preceding paragraph during the period when he has obtained a guarantor pending trial, the guaranty money shall be returned to him at the end of the period.

Article 57 A criminal suspect or defendant under residential surveillance shall observe the following provisions:

(1) not to leave his domicile without permission of the executing organ or, if he has no fixed domicile, not to leave the designated residence without permission;

(2) not to meet with others without permission of the executing organ;

(3) to be present in time at a court when summoned;

(4) not to interfere in any form with the witness when the latter gives testimony; and

(5) not to destroy or falsify evidence or tally confessions.

If a criminal suspect or defendant under residential surveillance violates the provisions of the preceding paragraph and if the case is serious, he shall be arrested.

Article 58 The period granted by a People's Court, People's Procuratorate or public security organ to a criminal suspect or defendant for awaiting trial after obtaining a guarantor shall not exceed twelve months; the period for residential surveillance shall not exceed six months.

During the period when the criminal suspect or defendant is awaiting trial after obtaining a guarantor or when he is under residential surveillance, investigation, prosecution and handling of the case shall not be suspended. If it is discovered that the criminal suspect or the defendant should not be investigated for criminal responsibility or when the period for awaiting trial after obtaining a guarantor or the period of residential surveillance has expired, such period shall be terminated without delay. The person who has obtained a guarantor pending trial or who is under residential surveillance and the units concerned shall be notified of the termination immediately.

Article 59 Arrests of criminal suspects or defendants shall be subject to approval by a People's Procuratorate or decision by a People's Court and shall be executed by a public security organ.

Article 60 When there is evidence to support the facts of a crime and the criminal suspect or defendant could be sentenced to a punishment of not less than imprisonment, and if such measures as allowing him to obtain a guarantor pending trial or placing him under residential surveillance would be insufficient to prevent the occurrence of danger to society, thus necessitating his arrest, the criminal suspect or defendant shall be immediately arrested according to law.

If a criminal suspect or defendant who should be arrested is seriously ill or is a pregnant woman or a woman breast-feeding her own baby, he or she may be allowed to obtain a guarantor pending trial or be placed under residential surveillance.

Article 61 Public security organs may initially detain an active criminal or a major suspect under any of the following conditions:

(1) if he is preparing to commit a crime, is in the process of committing a crime or is discovered immediately after committing a crime;

(2) if he is identified as having committed a crime by a victim or an eyewitness;

(3) if criminal evidence is found on his body or at his residence;

(4) if he attempts to commit suicide or escape after committing a crime, or he is a fugitive;

(5) if there is likelihood of his destroying or falsifying evidence or tallying confessions;

(6) if he does not tell his true name and address and his identity is unknown; and

(7) if he is strongly suspected of committing crimes from one place to another, repeatedly, or in a gang.

Article 62 When a public security organ is to detain or arrest a person in another place, it shall inform the public security organ in the place where the person to be detained or arrested stays, and the public security organ there shall cooperate in the action.

Article 63 The persons listed below may be seized outright by any citizen and delivered to a public security organ, a People's Procuratorate or a People's Court for handling:

(1) any person who is committing a crime or is discovered immediately after committing a crime;

(2) any person who is wanted for arrest;

(3) any person who has escaped from prison; and

(4) any person who is being pursued for arrest.

Article 64 When detaining a person, a public security organ must produce a detention warrant.

Within 24 hours after a person has been detained, his family or the unit to which he belongs shall be notified of the reasons for detention and the place of custody, except in circumstances where such notification would hinder the investigation or there is no way of notifying them.

Article 65 A public security organ shall interrogate a detainee within 24 hours after detention. If it is found that the person should not have been detained, he must be immediately released and issued a release certificate. If the public security organ finds it necessary to arrest a detainee when sufficient evidence is still lacking, it may allow the detainee to obtain a guarantor pending trial or place him under residential surveillance.

Article 66 When a public security organ wishes to arrest a criminal suspect, it shall submit a written request for approval of arrest together with the case file and evidence to the People's Procuratorate at the same level for examination and approval. When necessary, the People's Procuratorate may send procurators to participate in the public security organ's discussion of a major case.

Article 67 The chief procurator shall make the decision on a People's Procuratorate's examination and approval of the arrest of a criminal suspect. Major cases shall be submitted to the procuratorial committee for discussion and decision.

Article 68 After a People's Procuratorate has examined a case with respect to which a public security organ has submitted a request for approval of arrest, it shall decide according to the circumstances of the case either to approve the arrest or disapprove the arrest. If it decides to approve the arrest, the public security organ shall execute it immediately and inform the People's Procuratorate of the result without delay. If the People's Procuratorate disapproves the arrest, it shall give its reasons therefor; and if it deems a supplementary investigation necessary, it shall at the same time notify the public security organ of the need.

Article 69 If the public security organ deems it necessary to arrest a detainee, it shall, within three days after the detention, submit a request to the People's Procuratorate for examination and approval. Under special circumstances, the time limit for submitting a request for examination and approval may be extended by one to four days.

As to the arrest of a major suspect involved in crimes committed from one place to another, repeatedly, or in a gang, the time limit for submitting a request for examination and approval may be extended to 30 days.

The People's Procuratorate shall decide either to approve or disapprove the arrest within seven days from the date of receiving the written request for approval of arrest submitted by a public security organ. If the People's Procuratorate disapproves the arrest, the public security organ shall, upon receiving notification, immediately release the detainee and inform the People's Procuratorate of the result without delay. If further investigation is necessary, and if the released person meets the conditions for obtaining a guarantor pending trial or for residential surveillance, he shall be allowed to obtain a guarantor pending trial or subjected to residential surveillance according to law.

Article 70 If the public security organ considers the People's Procuratorate's decision to disapprove an arrest to be incorrect, it may request a reconsideration but must immediately release the detainee. If the public security organ's opinion is not accepted, it may request a review by the People's Procuratorate at the next higher level. The People's Procuratorate at the higher level shall immediately review the matter, decide whether or not to make a change and notify the People's Procuratorate at the lower level and the public security organ to implement its decision.

Article 71 When making an arrest, a public security organ must produce an arrest warrant.

Within 24 hours after an arrest, the family of the arrested person or the unit to which he belongs shall be notified of the reasons for arrest and the place of custody, except in circumstances where such notification would hinder the investigation or there is no way of notifying them.

Article 72 Interrogation must be conducted within 24 hours after the arrest, by a People's Court or People's Procuratorate with respect to a person it has decided to arrest, and by a public security organ with respect to a person it has arrested with the approval of the People's Procuratorate. If it is found that the person should not have been arrested, he must be immediately released and issued a release certificate.

Article 73 If a People's Court, a People's Procuratorate or a public security organ finds that the compulsory measures adopted against a criminal suspect or defendant are inappropriate, such measures shall be cancelled or modified without delay. If a public security organ releases a person arrested or substitute the measure of arrest with a different measure , it shall notify the People's Procuratorate that approved the arrest.

Article 74 If a case involving a criminal suspect or defendant in custody cannot be closed within the time limit stipulated by this Law for keeping the criminal suspect or defendant under custody for the sake of investigation, for conducting examination before prosecution, or for the procedure of first or second instance and thus further investigation, verification and handling are needed, the criminal suspect or defendant may be allowed to obtain a guarantor pending trial or subjected to residential surveillance.

Article 75 If the compulsory measures adopted by a People's Court, a People's Procuratorate or a public security organ exceed the time limit prescribed by law, the criminal suspect or defendant, his legal representatives, near relatives, or the lawyers or other defenders entrusted by the criminal suspect or defendant shall have the right to demand cancellation of the compulsory measures. The People's Court, the People's Procuratorate, or the public security organ shall release the criminal suspect or defendant when the compulsory measures adopted against him have exceeded the time limit prescribed by law, terminate the period for awaiting trial after obtaining a guarantor or for residential surveillance, or take different compulsory measures according to law.

Article 76 If in the process of examining and approving arrests, a People's Procuratorate discovers illegalities in the investigatory activities of a public security organ, it shall notify the public security organ to make corrections, and the public security organ shall notify the People's Procuratorate of the corrections it has made.

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