A provincial prosecutor announced on Monday that China is set to conduct a criminal trial for three minors implicated in the murder of a fellow child.
This unprecedented case has stirred up a lot of talk across the country about how juvenile delinquents are processed through the legal system.
The suspects, all under the age of 14 at the time of the incident, stand accused of persistently bullying a middle-school classmate, referred to as Wang, before allegedly taking his life last month.
The chilling details of the case, which include the alleged burial of Wang’s body in an abandoned greenhouse, have drawn widespread attention to the legal handling of juveniles charged with serious offenses.
In 2021, China lowered its age of criminal responsibility from 14 to 12 for “special cases”, such as causing death by “extremely cruel means”.
The case in Hebei is believed to be one of the first instances where this lower age limit has been applied.
The provincial prosecutor’s office revealed on Monday that it had received a police request last month to criminally prosecute the suspects, identified by their surnames Zhang, Li, and Ma.
The office concluded that the three were aged between 12 and 14 when they “intentionally committed murder, causing the death of the victim Wang”.
“The circumstances were serious and they should be held criminally responsible,” the provincial office stated, adding that the country’s top public prosecutor had reviewed and approved the decision.
The provincial prosecutor further stated, “While handling cases strictly in accordance with the law, the procuratorial organs will… further strengthen the prevention and treatment of juvenile crimes.”
As per Chinese law, the crime of murder carries the potential sentence of imprisonment or the death penalty.
