(CLO) On December 30, a Chinese court sentenced two teenagers to life in prison for killing a classmate, ending a nationwide controversial case of juvenile crime.
Zhang was sentenced to life in prison, while Li was sentenced to 12 years in prison for aggravated murder, according to court information. The third suspect, Ma, was sentenced to reform for witnessing the murder but not participating in the crime. All three were 13 years old at the time of the incident.
The defendants were charged in April with long-term bullying of a classmate surnamed Wang, before attacking the boy with a shovel and burying his body in an abandoned greenhouse. The case, which took place in March this year in Handan City, Hebei Province, has sparked debate about how juvenile offenders should be treated, especially for serious crimes.
Illustration: GI
This is one of the first cases in which Chinese law has applied criminal responsibility to children as young as 12. In 2021, China lowered the age of criminal responsibility from 14 to 12 for “special cases.” Suspects between the ages of 12 and 14 can be held criminally responsible for serious crimes such as intentional homicide if a senior prosecutor approves the charges.
The case also highlights the plight of “left-behind” children whose parents are rural migrant workers who are often separated from their children to make a living in big cities. According to the 2020 census, there are about 67 million children in this situation, with a high risk of mental health problems or criminal behavior.
The incident also highlights the tension between harsh punishment of juvenile offenders and protecting children's rights in society. The question of how to educate and reform child criminals is becoming a hot topic in discussions about legal reform in China.
Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters, AFP)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/ban-an-chung-than-cho-hai-sat-thu-nhi-sau-nhieu-tranh-cai-o-trung-quoc-post328206.html
Comment (0)