A Chinese court on Tuesday sentenced a minor who was 14 years old at the time of the incident to life in prison for raping and killing a 15-year-old classmate, in a case that reignited the debate about juvenile delinquency in the country.
The Intermediate Court of Qujing city in southwest China’s Yunnan province sentenced the defendant, surnamed Jiang, to life in prison for rape and intentional homicide crimesin addition to imposing the deprivation of political rights for lifereported the official China News Service agency.
According to the sentence, the events occurred between the night of July 6 and the early morning of July 7, 2025, when the minor attempted to sexually assault the victim, a student at the same educational establishment. Afterwards, afearing that the crime would be discovered, he strangled her with his hands.
The court considered that the acts constitute crimes of rape and intentional homicide and must be punished together, in accordance with the law.
The same body highlighted that the circumstances were “particularly serious” and the consequences were serious, which justified the application of a severe penalty.
Death penalty is not allowedor if it is a minor
AinTherefore, as he was a minor at the time of the events, Chinese legislation does not allow the death penalty to be applied, and the court opted for life imprisonment after evaluating the nature of the crime and the social impact.
The trial was attended by the victim’s family, as well as representatives of legislative bodies and political advisors, as well as the media.
Other episodes of violence between minors
The case comes after other recent episodes that raised concern about violence between minors in China.
In December 2024, a court in Hebei province, in the north of the country, sentenced a 13-year-old teenager to life in prison for the murder of a schoolmate, in a case that generated widespread debate about the criminal responsibility of minors.
The Chinese Penal Code establishes that minors between 12 and 14 years old can assume criminal responsibility in serious cases, upon approval by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
In recent years, several cases have reignited the debate about the need to reinforce mechanisms for preventing violence in school environments and improving child protection systems in the country.
