Criminal Witness Testimony Rules

Author: Zhang Yueman
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features: Witness testimony is one of the most widely used statutory evidences in China's criminal proceedings, and the rules of witness testimony are the guidelines for operating this evidence in judicial practice. China has long maintained a traditional legal consciousness of "emphasizing substance over procedure," which has led to various problems in the practical application of witness testimony that are not in harmony with the process of rule of law. Although China made significant amendments to the Criminal Procedure Law in 1996, the rules related to witness testimony did not see substantial improvements. The operational state of power without rule constraints is easy to imagine. Establishing and improving the rules of criminal witness testimony is an essential step that must be taken in China's context of emphasizing the protection of human rights.