New Zealand amends crimes bill, repeals obsolete laws

WELLINGTON, March 5 (Xinhua) -- news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">new Zealand on Tuesday passed the Crimes Amendment Bill, repealing or some obsolete laws and introducing news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">new laws.

The "year and a day" rule in news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">new Zealand, which prevented people from being prosecuted for causing the death of a person who dies after that length of time, will be repealed following the passing of the bill.

This rule was also a potential bar to prosecution in the Canterbury Television (CTV) building collapse following the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes that claimed 185 lives, including more than 20 Chinese students.

"Removing the archaic and unjust year and a day' rule will ensure it no longer prevents those who break the law from being held to account," Justice Minister Andrew Little said in a statement.

The government is committed to ensuring the criminal code in news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">new Zealand is fit for purpose, he said, adding, "It makes no sense to stop a prosecution because of an arbitrary date chosen in medieval times."

The amendment bill also introduces two news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">new offences for livestock rustling which include theft of livestock or other animal, carrying a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment.

The archaic blasphemous libel offence will also be repealed following Tuesday's passing of the amendment bill, as no prosecutions for blasphemy have occurred in news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">new Zealand for almost a century, according to the minister.

"This is a law that simply does not apply in the modern context," Little said.