Abstract

China has used harsh punishments for long, and as a result the government still executes prisoners and tortures detainers. This article examines possible reasons and policy concerns behind China’s harsh punishment from a human rights perspective. Underlying concerns include historical resistance to individual rights, traditional approaches to protecting human rights and political control of ‘strike hard’ campaigns. The deep reasons for its using harsh punishments suggest the great need of an eventual abolition of such punishments in Chinese law and practice.

Keywords: Harsh punishments; Possible reasons; Human rights perspective