Ni Duqun, Wang Xiaoshan, and Sun Baochang were sentenced to death by courts in Hubei, Shandong, and Henan provinces respectively, according to a statement from the Supreme People's Court.

In China, death sentences issued by lower courts must be reviewed and approved by the top court before execution can take place. The cases of the three men were summarized by the top court, emphasizing the protection of children as a priority and the imposition of harsher punishments for those who harm the legitimate rights and interests of minors.

The court revealed that the convicted individuals lured their victims, primarily from primary and middle schools, through the internet and targeted them for rape.

Ni, who operated a company in Hubei, was found guilty of raping seven girls, six of whom were under the age of 14, between January 2017 and August 2019. Some victims were subjected to multiple rapes, and two became pregnant and suffered miscarriages.

Wang, in the case from Shandong, was convicted of raping five girls, three of whom were under 14, molesting 14 others, and organizing promiscuous activities from late 2017 to January 2019. He coerced the girls into sending him explicit photos and videos through an instant messaging app and threatened to expose them if they refused to meet him. He took the victims to hotels and raped them.

Sun, the convict from Henan, committed similar acts between October 2017 and August 2018. He lured girls online, requested explicit pictures, filmed the rapes, and used the footage to coerce further sexual acts.

The top court stressed the severe physical and mental harm caused to the victims, emphasizing that such behavior has a detrimental impact on society. It stated that Chinese courts have zero tolerance for those who harm children's rights and interests, and in cases of extreme severity, the death penalty will be applied without hesitation.

The execution of these three individuals underscores China's commitment to protecting children and serves as a strong message from the judicial system.

The court called for increased awareness of self-protection among juveniles and suggested that teachers, parents, and cyberspace departments enhance supervision of online activities to create a safer environment for children. (ILKHA)