A Chinese court has sentenced a teenage boy to life in prison for intentionally murdering his 13-year-old classmate. The case has sparked a national debate on how to handle juvenile offenders.
Here are the key points:
1. Case Details: Three boys, all under 14 at the time of the crime, were accused of bullying and killing their classmate, Wang, in an abandoned greenhouse.
2. Sentencing: The court found one boy, Zhang, guilty of intentional homicide and sentenced him to life in prison. Another boy, Li, received a 12-year jail sentence.
3. Age of Criminal Responsibility: China lowered its age of criminal responsibility from 14 to 12 in 2021 for “special cases” involving extreme violence.
4. Public Debate: The case has sparked a debate on how to balance punishment with rehabilitation for juvenile offenders.
5. Chinese Law: Murder is punishable by imprisonment or the death penalty in China.
Source: Nairametrics
