减刑假释信息化办案平台 (jiǎnxíng jiǎshì xìnxīhuà bànàn píngtái): Platform for processing information on paroles and commuting sentences

The Supreme People's Court announced on Thursday that China has launched a national information-sharing platform for paroles and the commuting of sentences, which will be completed by the end of next year.

This is a significant judicial measure that aims to promote the transparency of China's judicial system and further safeguard judicial fairness.

The platform will not only help Chinese courts collect and locate information but also serve to connect courts, prosecutors and prisons, according to the top court.

Xia Daohu, chief judge of the trial and supervision tribunal of the top court, said it will enable prison management departments to record the performance of inmates and submit applications and other materials for parole or commuting their sentences.

After an application is received by the court, judges will then be able to read, file and hear the cases through video on the platform and disclose their judgments to the public.

"It's a way to increase our work efficiency and allow public supervision," Xia said.

Statistics show that Chinese courts handle more than 600,000 parole and sentence reduction appeals every year, with many provincial high people's courts and intermediate people's courts tackling more than 5,000 cases a year.

The platform will not only be more efficient and convenient, but is also expected to curb fraudulent practices that undermine the public's confidence in judicial fairness.