CCTV9英语新闻：People serving time in labor camps set free

Chinese authorities have said that all those still serving time in labour camps will be released today. But they added that the penalties handed out before the abolition¹ of the labour camps will still be considered legitimate².

The Vice³ director of the Criminal Law Office from the NPC’s Legislative⁴ Affairs Commission, Lei Jianbin, explains more of the legal details.

"The past few years have seen fewer and fewer people that should have been sent to labour camps. And the serving time of those in the camps has also been dropping. Since March, no new labourers have been sent to the labour camps across the country. And now even those who haven’t finished their due time in the labour camps, will be released. Illegal acts that were handled by the re-education through labour system in the past, will now be handled in accordance with the country’s Criminal Law, and the Penalties for Administration of Public Security Law and other legislation. And procedures will be more strict. People who aren’t satisfied with their judgement can file an appeal to government offices or the courts," he said.

1 abolition   

n.废除，取消

参考例句：

• They declared for the abolition of slavery.他们声明赞成废除奴隶制度。
• The abolition of the monarchy was part of their price.废除君主制是他们的其中一部分条件。

2 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。