刑責年齡擬降至12週歲

Law to prevent juvenile crimes

刑責年齡擬降至12週歲

Chinese lawmakers are mulling over lowering the minimum age at which a minor can be convicted to 12, in individual cases under specific circumstances.

我國立法機構考慮在特定情形下將最低刑事責任年齡下調至12歲。

The proposal was made in a draft amendment to the Criminal Law, which was submitted Tuesday to the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. If a juvenile who has reached the age of 12, but is under 14, commits intentional homicide or inflicts an injury that leads to death under flagrant circumstances, he or she shall bear criminal responsibility upon attestation and approval of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, according to the draft.

10月13日提請十三屆全國人大常委會審議的刑法修正案（十一）草案二審稿擬規定，已滿12週歲不滿14週歲的人，犯故意殺人、故意傷害罪，致人死亡，情節惡劣的，經最高人民檢察院覈准，應當負刑事責任。

Currently, minors under the age of 14 do not bear any criminal responsibility in China.

目前，我國14歲以下的未成年人不承擔任何刑事責任。

However, some high-profile cases involving violent crimes committed by underage youths in recent years have sparked a heated debate on the minimum age of criminal liability.

但是近年來一些備受關注的未成年人暴力犯罪案件引發人們對有關最低刑事責任年齡問題的激烈討論。