Top procuratorate to strengthen protection of minors' rights

China's top procuratorate will take measures to strengthen protection of minors' rights during criminal prosecution, according to a newly released document.

Interrogation and questioning of minors will be recorded on video and audio tape, according to a circular issued by China's Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP).

Prosecution departments in charge of juvenile cases will also be required to handle cases involving crimes against minors, including sexual assault of children, child trafficking, and forcing, luring or using minors to commit a crime.

Reputation and privacy rights, as well as other legal rights of juvenile victims, should be protected during the process, it said.

The number of juvenile criminals who re-offend after being released dropped by 57.5 percent in 2013 compared to the number in 2008, according to the SPP.