Three people convicted of sexually abusing minors were executed in China today, the Supreme People’s Court announced.

As underlined in the announcement, the sentencing to the extreme and the execution of the three criminals demonstrates China’s zero tolerance for sexual abuse of minors, while it is expected to act as a deterrent to other pedophiles.

One of the three men executed, a primary school teacher surnamed Guo, was found guilty of raping six female students – more than 100 times – between 2013 and 2019. All the victims were under the age of 14 when they were first molested by Guo.

The second man executed, a laborer surnamed Shang, was found guilty of sexually abusing eight girls, using methods of deception or force, between 2011 and 2020.

He located his potential victims in various public places, such as parks, buses and even outside kindergartens. He was found to be blackmailing many of his victims, threatening to release indecent photographs of them if they did not satisfy his sick appetites.

The third man executed, a shopkeeper surnamed Gong, was found guilty of forcing a girl into sexual intercourse over nearly five years, starting in 2015 when the victim was just 12 years old. In 2020, after being repeatedly sexually abused by Gong and other pedophiles, the girl committed suicide at the age of 16.

The Supreme People’s Court underlines that Chinese justice will be merciless in cases of sexual abuse of minors, which carry the death penalty.

He points out that most minor rapists have been found to have belonged to the victims’ family circle, were their teachers or neighbors, or had approached them via the Internet.

Offenders of sex crimes against minors usually target vulnerable children, with insufficient family supervision or with mental retardation.

Under Chinese criminal law, anyone who has sex with a minor under the age of 14 is considered a rapist and faces severe punishment.