Three child rapists executed after top China court approves sentence

Three convicted child rapists were executed in China on Wednesday, as announced by the Supreme People’s Court, which emphasized the country’s strict stance against child sex abuse. The executions are intended to serve as a deterrent to potential offenders.

One of the executed individuals, a primary school teacher named Guo, was convicted of raping six female students over 100 times between 2013 and 2019, with all victims being under 14 years old at the time of the abuse.

The second individual, a laborer identified as Shang, sexually abused eight girls between 2011 and 2020, using deceit and force. He encountered his victims in various public places, including parks and buses, and threatened some of them with the release of indecent images to maintain ongoing sexual relationships.

The third man, a village shopkeeper named Gong, coerced a girl in his village into sexual acts for nearly five years, starting in 2015 when she was under 12. Tragically, the victim took her own life at 16 after enduring repeated abuse from Gong and others.

The Supreme People’s Court reiterated that it would impose strict sentences for child sex abuse crimes that warrant the death penalty. It highlighted that many offenders are often family members, teachers, or neighbors of the victims, or they meet their victims online. Children, particularly those in rural areas whose parents are away for work or those with intellectual disabilities, are frequently targeted due to their vulnerability.

Under China’s Criminal Law, engaging in sexual intercourse with a girl under 14 is classified as rape and carries severe penalties.