China revises procuratorate rules in criminal procedure

BEIJING -- The Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) on Dec 30 released an updated version of the criminal procedural rules for procuratorates.

The new rules entered into force on the same day, replacing a trial version introduced in 2012.

As part of its anti-corruption efforts, China adopted its supervision law in March 2018 to create supervisory commissions and revised the criminal procedure law later that year to give the commissions jurisdiction over cases involving the misuse of public power.

The just-concluded revision highlighted detailed rules on the link between the investigation of the supervisory commissions and procuratorates' prosecution of such criminal cases.

For example, the rules on the transfer of evidence, the designation of jurisdiction, detention measures and supplementary investigations were included.

The new rules also strengthened the judicial protection of human rights and implemented judicial reform, according to the SPP.