Section 3 Joint Crimes
Article 25
A joint crime refers to an intentional crime committed by two or more persons jointly.
A negligent crime committed by two or more persons jointly shall not be punished as a joint crime; those who should bear criminal responsibility shall be individually punished according to the crimes they have committed.
Article 26
A principal criminal refers to any person who organizes and leads a criminal group in carrying out criminal activities or plays a principal role in a joint crime.
A criminal group refers to any relatively stable criminal organization which is composed of more than three persons for the purpose of committing a crime jointly.
A ringleader who organizes and leads a criminal group shall be given a punishment according to all the crimes the group has committed.
A principal criminal unless otherwise stipulated in the third paragraph shall be given a punishment according to all the crimes that he participates in or organizes or commands.
Article 27
An accomplice refers to any person who plays a secondary or auxiliary role in a joint crime.
An accomplice shall be given a lighter or mitigated punishment or be exempted from punishment.
Article 28
A person who is compelled to participate in a crime shall, according to the circumstances of his crime, be given a mitigated punishment or be exempted from punishment.
Article 29
A person who instigates others to commit a crime shall be punished according to the role he has played in the joint crime.
Anyone who instigates a person under the age of 18 to commit a crime shall be given a heavier punishment.
If the instigated person has not committed the instigated crime, the instigator may be given a lighter or mitigated punishment.
