Abstract

“Tit for tat” public opinion in favor of death penalty is perceived to be one of the major obstacles in the abolition of death penalty in China. By exploring 333 cases of death penalty in the period from 2010 to 2017, this paper argues that not only public opinion, but also judicial sentencing habits are following the “tit for tat” approach. In line with the legal policy – from “kill many” moving to “kill fewer and kill cautiously”- a series of procedural and substantive reforms have been implemented. However, considering the deeply rooted “tit for tat” notion among mass and legal practitioner, this paper argues that the abolition of death penalty in China is unlikely to occur in the near future.