Arson suspect must undergo mental treatment

A woman suspected of arson was ordered to undergo medical treatment by the People's Procuratorate of Daxing District, Beijing News reported.

This is the first case in the capital in which compulsory medical treatment was applied after the amended Criminal Procedure Law took effect on Jan 1, the paper said.

The woman surnamed Hou started a fire by lighting clothes at her home in Daxing District, which damaged several neighboring houses and caused a loss of 3,000 yuan ($482), on Nov 24, 2012.

Hou was diagnosed with a mental disorder on Jan 7, which influenced her incendiary behavior, the police bureau in Daxing District said, declaring that she was not criminally responsible.

The People's Procuratorate in Daxing has applied to the local court for compulsive medical treatment for the woman, which will be determined after a trial.

According to the new criminal procedure law, people with mental illnesses and who not responsible for the crimes will be required to undergo medical treatment.

The new law was amended earlier in 2012 and stresses "respecting and protecting human rights." It contains numerous detailed articles to ensure suspects' rights are protected and justice carried out.