Criminal Law Part I General Provisions Article 1-12

Part I General Provisions

第一编 总则

Chapter I Tasks, Basic Principles, and Scope of Application of the Criminal Law 

第一章 刑法的任务、基本原则和适用范围

Article 1 . This law is formulated in accordance with the Constitution and in light of the concrete experience of China launching a struggle against crime and the realities in the country, with a view to punishing crime and protecting the people.

第一条  【立法宗旨】为了惩罚犯罪，保护人民，根据宪法，结合我国同犯罪作斗争的具体 经验及实际情况，制定本法。

Article 2 . The tasks of the PRC Criminal Law are to use punishment struggle against all criminal acts to defend national security, the political power of the people's democratic dictatorship, and the socialist system; to protect state-owned property and property collectively owned by the laboring masses; to protect citizens' privately owned property; to protect citizens' right of the person, democratic rights, and other rights; to maintain social and economic order; and to safeguard the smooth progress of the cause of socialist construction.

第二条  【本法任务】中华人民共和国刑法的任务，是用刑罚同一切犯罪行为作斗争，以保卫国家安全，保卫人民民主专政的政权和社会主义制度，保护国有财产和劳动群众集体所有的财产，保护公民私人所有的财产，保护公民的人身权利、民主权利和其他权利，维护社会秩序、经济秩序，保障社会主义建设事业的顺利进行。

Article 3 . Any act deemed by explicit stipulations of law as a crime is to be convicted and given punishment by law and any act that no explicit stipulations of law deems a crime is not to be convicted or given punishment.

第三条  【罪刑法定】法律明文规定为犯罪行为的，依照法律定罪处刑；法律没有明文规定为犯罪行为的，不得定罪处刑。

Article 4 . Every one is equal before the law in committing crime. No one is permitted to have privileges to transgress the law.

第四条  【适用刑法人人平等】对任何人犯罪，在适用法律上一律平等。不允许任何人有超越法律的特权。

Article 5 . The severity of punishments must be commensurate with the crime committed by an offender and the criminal responsibility he bears.

第五条  【罪责刑相适应】刑罚的轻重，应当与犯罪分子所犯罪行和承担的刑事责任相适应。

Article 6 . This law is applicable to all who commit crimes within the territory of the PRC except as specially stipulated by law.

第六条  【属地管辖权】凡在中华人民共和国领域内犯罪的，除法律有特别规定的以外，都适用本法。

This law is also applicable to all who commit crimes aboard a ship or aircraft of the PRC.

凡在中华人民共和国船舶或者航空器内犯罪的，也适用本法。

When either the act or consequence of a crime takes place within PRC territory, a crime is deemed to have been committed within PRC territory.

犯罪的行为或者结果有一项发生在中华人民共和国领域内的，就认为是在中华人民共和国领域内犯罪。

Article 7 . This law is applicable to PRC citizens who commit the crimes specified in this law outside the territory of the PRC; but those who commit the crimes carrying a maximum sentence of less than three-year imprisonment as stipulated in this law may be exempt from prosecution.

第七条  【属人管辖权】中华人民共和国公民在中华人民共和国领域外犯本法规定之罪的，适用本法，但是按本法规定的最高刑为三年以下有期徒刑的，可以不予追究。

This law is applicable to PRC state personnel and military personnel who commit the crimes specified in this law outside PRC territory.

中华人民共和国国家工作人员和军人在中华人民共和国领域外犯本法规定之罪的，适用本法。

Article 8 . This law may be applicable to foreigners, who outside PRC territory, commit crimes against the PRC state or against its citizens, provided that this law stipulates a minimum sentence of not less than a three-year fixed term of imprisonment for such crimes; but an exception is to be made if a crime is not punishable according the law of the place where it was committed.

第八条  【保护管辖权】外国人在中华人民共和国领域外对中华人民共和国国家或者公民犯罪，而按本法规定的最低刑为三年以上有期徒刑的，可以适用本法，但是按照犯罪地的法律不受处罚的除外。

Article 9 . This law is applicable to the crimes specified in international treaties to which the PRC is a signatory state or with which it is a member and the PRC exercises criminal jurisdiction over such crimes within its treaty obligations.

第九条  【普遍管辖权】对于中华人民共和国缔结或者参加的国际条约所规定的罪行，中华人民共和国在所承担条约义务的范围内行使刑事管辖权的，适用本法。

Article 10 . Any person who commits a crime outside PRC territory and according to this law bear criminal responsibility may still be dealt with according to this law even if he has been tried in a foreign country; however, a person who has already received criminal punishment in a foreign country may be exempted from punishment or given a mitigated punishment.

第十条  【对外国刑事判决的消极承认】凡在中华人民共和国领域外犯罪，依照本法应当负刑事责任的，虽然经过外国审判，仍然可以依照本法追究，但是在外国已经受过刑罚处罚的，可以免除或者减轻处罚。

Article 11 . The problem of criminal responsibility of foreigners who enjoy diplomatic privileges and immunity is to be resolved through diplomatic channels.

第十一条  【外交代表刑事管辖豁免】享有外交特权和豁免权的外国人的刑事责任，通过外交途径解决。

Article 12 . If an act committed after the founding of the PRC and before the implementation of this law was not deemed a crime under the laws at that time, the laws at that time are to be applicable. If the act was deemed a crime under the laws at that time, and if under the provisions of Chapter IV, Section 8 of the general provisions of this law it should be prosecuted, criminal responsibility is to be investigated according to the laws at that time. However, if this law does not deem it a crime or imposes a lesser punishment, this law is to be applicable.

第十二条  【刑法溯及力】中华人民共和国成立以后本法施行以前的行为，如果当时的法律不认为是犯罪的，适用当时的法律；如果当时的法律认为是犯罪的，依照本法总则第四章第八节的规定应当追诉的，按照当时的法律追究刑事责任，但是如果本法不认为是犯罪或者处刑较轻的，适用本法。

The effective judgments that were made according to the laws at that time before the implementation of this law will continue to be in force.

本法施行以前，依照当时的法律已经作出的生效判决，继续有效。