Chinese lawmakers are considering removing the death penalty as punishment for nine crimes, including smuggling weapons and nuclear materials.

The draft amendment to the Criminal Law was submitted on Monday to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) for a first reading during the legislature's bi-monthly session, which runs from Monday to Saturday.

According to the draft amendment, the nine crimes include smuggling weapons, ammunition, nuclear materials or counterfeit currency; counterfeiting currency; raising funds by means of fraud; arranging for or forcing another person to engage in prostitution; obstructing a commander or a person on duty from performing his duties; and fabricating rumors to mislead others during wartime.

After removing the death penalty for these crimes, those convicted will face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, according to the draft.

The draft amendment is another move by China to limit the use of the death penalty following a decision at a key meeting of the Communist Party of China last year to gradually reduce the number of crimes subject to the death penalty, said Li Shishi, director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee.

The draft amendment also provides stricter rules for the execution of convicts who have been sentenced to death with reprieve.

Once the proposal is adopted, it will become the second time for the People's Republic of China to reduce the number of crimes punishable by death since the Criminal Law took effect in 1979.

The NPC Standing Committee dropped the death penalty for 13 economic-related non-violent crimes including smuggling cultural relics, gold and silver; carrying out fraudulent activities related to financial bills; forging or selling forged exclusive value-added tax invoices; teaching criminal methods; and robbing ancient cultural ruins.

Exempting the 13 crimes from the death penalty has not caused negative effects for public security, and the social response to reducing the number of crimes subject to the death penalty has been positive, Li said.

Under the current Criminal Law, the number of crimes punishable by death is 55.

China has kept the death penalty while strictly controlling and prudently applying capital punishment. The country has made various efforts to limit use of the death penalty in recent years.

On Jan. 1, 2007, the Supreme People's Court resumed reviewing death penalty cases before approval to make sure decisions by lower courts are accurate.

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