中国官方媒体报导说，中国5月致命大地震之后协助救灾与重建的数百名囚犯将获得减刑。官方中国日报说，430多名囚犯获得减刑，其中八人星期二获得保释。 其中获得保释的一名囚犯是一位43岁因谋杀罪而服刑的男子。中国日报说，在地震震垮监狱之后，这名男子本来可以逃跑，但是他却留在监狱，帮助救助一名残障囚犯。
四川省各地的监狱官员要求法庭让此类囚犯获得保释或者减刑。省政府官员说，他们可以让还有几年就将刑满的此类囚犯保释，或者给有残疾子女或者年迈父母的囚犯减刑。
Chinese state media say hundreds of prisoners who assisted in relief and recovery efforts after a deadly earthquake in May will have their sentences reduced. The official China Daily newspaper says more than 430 prisoners have had their jail terms cut, with eight of them released on probation on Tuesday. One of the prisoners released on probation was a 43-year-old man who was serving a murder sentence. The newspaper says the inmate could have escaped after the earthquake damaged the prison, but stayed behind to help save a physically disabled inmate.
Prison officials across Sichuan province have asked courts to either release such prisoners on probation or shorten their sentences. Provincial officials say they could grant probation to prisoners with a few years left on their sentences, or cut the sentences of those with disabled children or elderly parents.