Authorities issue anti-corruption rules for WWII anniversary amnesty

BEIJING - Chinese authorities have issued rules on proper implementation of a prisoner amnesty deal adopted to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Five judicial and governmental agencies -- the Supreme People's Court, Supreme People's Procuratorate and the Ministries of Justice, Public Security and State Security -- have jointly issued a circular on the deal's implementation, according to a statement by the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on Monday.

The Commission said that a meeting was held on the amnesty deal and central and local authorities were told to grant amnesty in an accurate, strict, prudent and lawful manner.

"Abuse of power by any organization or individual to seek personal benefits or trade their power for illegal gains shall never be allowed," the statement said.

The statement also said that efforts should be made to ensure that no person eligible for amnesty be left out and that those who are ineligible will not be released.

China's top legislature has adopted a prisoner amnesty deal that will grant official pardons to thousands of war veterans as well as very old, young or infirm prisoners to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II on Sept. 3.

The deal, issued by President Xi Jinping on Saturday, is the eighth amnesty granted since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.