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Jail terms cut for China's prisoner quake heroes
2008-07-03
BEIJING - Hundreds of prisoners who survived China's deadly earthquake have had their jail terms reduced as a reward for heroic actions during the disaster, state press reported on Thursday. One of the prisoners who was due to be released in 2011 after two decades in jail for murder was set free recently on probation, the China Daily reported. The murderer, a 43-year-old man surnamed Hong, had remained in the prison when the quake struck instead of fleeing like most other inmates so he could help save a disabled prisoner, according to the paper. "Hong showed immense courage to carry a physically challenged inmate to safety," the China Daily reported, citing a spokesman at the jail in Sichuan province. "Hong knew that the roof of the building could collapse any moment, but he ignored the danger to his own life to save a person who was crying for help," spokesman Zhong Chuanyuan said. The China Daily said eight other prisoners had also been released early for the "courage they showed in saving life and property" during and after the May 12 disaster that left more than 87,000 people dead or missing. Another 436 prisoners had their jail terms cut, while 1,795 were given merit points or official praise for rescuing survivors or protecting government property in the disaster, according to the paper.
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