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The Witness Protection Law contains 23 articles and was promulgated by the President on 9 February 2000. The law is enacted with the goal of protecting a witness who is willing to testify in a criminal case and a case of crackdown on vagrants, so as to speed up investigation and trial of crimes, or to establish a vagrancy case and carry on a trial, and to safeguard a defendant's rights and interests. The essential points are:
1)To define the meaning of 'criminal offenses' as referred under this law. (Article 2)
2)To provide for the type of witness eligible for protection under this law, and the means of providing protection to a witness. (Articles 3 and 4)
3)To provide for the matters regarding issuing writ of protection and related provisions. (Articles (Articles 5 through 13)
4)To specify that a defendant or suspect who has committed the criminal offenses as set forth under article 2, and has given testimony to a fact closely related a particular case, or has testified against other accomplices during the investigative proceedings, whose penalties shall be reduced or exempted. (Article 14)
5)That the provisions regarding the witness protection shall be applicable to an informant, complainant or victim. (Articles 15)
6)To impose penalties on a government employee or non-government employee for disclosing a confidential witness's information. (Article 16)
7)To impose penalties on someone who has been restricted to approaching a witness and knowingly violates the restrictions as set forth under paragraph 2 of article 12. (Article 17)
8)That someone who, for the purpose of obstructing or revenging a witness who gives testimony has committed offenses against a witness, the penalties shall be increased up to 1/2. (Article 18)
9)That a protected witness shall be deemed as having committed the offense of perjury if making false statements to a government official in charge. (Article 19)
10)To specify that a trial court may decide to administer a closed hearing, if probability of endangering a witness's life, body or freedom arises. (Article 20)
11)To specify that provisions of this law shall be applicable to cases involving a military court or prosecutor (Article 21)(23 provisions, p.22-27)