Parole is a system whereby criminals sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment or life imprisonment are conditionally released in advance after a certain term of imprisonment because they comply with prison regulations, receive education and reform, suffer from serious diseases or show true repentance, and will no longer harm society. It is a way of penalty execution. The procedure for parole is:
1. The executing organ shall submit a proposal for commutation of sentence to the people's court at or above the intermediate level;
2. A proposal for parole of life imprisonment shall be submitted to the judicial bureaus of provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government for approval before a proposal for parole is made;
3. The people's court shall form a collegial panel to hear the case, and shall order commutation of sentence if there is true repentance or meritorious service.
[Legal Basis]
In Article 82 of the Criminal Law, parole of criminals shall be granted in accordance with the procedure prescribed in Article 79 of this Law. No parole is allowed without legal procedures.
In Article 79 of the Criminal Law, the executive organ shall submit a proposal for commutation of sentence to the people's court at or above the intermediate level. The people's court shall form a collegial panel to hear the case, and shall order commutation of sentence if there is true repentance or meritorious service. No sentence may be commuted without going through legal procedures.
