In a significant legal development, China executed 62-year-old Fan Weiqiu for his role in a deadly car rampage that left 45 people injured. The incident, which took place in November outside a sports complex, marked the country's most severe crime of its kind since 2014. Fan Weiqiu, who deliberately drove a small SUV through crowds of people exercising, faced execution on January 20 following an order from the Supreme People's Court.
Fan Weiqiu's trial was attended by some of the victims' families, officials, and members of the public. During the proceedings, he pleaded guilty to the charges against him. The court deemed his actions as "extraordinarily serious," underlining the deliberate nature of his attack. In December, the court sentenced Fan to death, a decision that sparked widespread public shock and prompted discussions about societal issues in China.
The attack and subsequent execution have highlighted concerns regarding violent crimes in China. The Zhuhai court described Fan's actions as "particularly cruel, and the consequences particularly severe, posing significant harm to society." This case has drawn attention to the classified nature of China's death penalty statistics, with rights groups like Amnesty International estimating that thousands may face execution annually.
In a separate yet related case, another execution took place in eastern Jiangsu province. Xu Jiajin, a 21-year-old former student, was executed for a mass stabbing at a vocational school in Wuxi. This attack resulted in eight fatalities and 17 injuries. The Zhuhai court characterized Xu's motives as "extremely vile" and the nature of his crime as "extremely egregious."
"were extremely vile, (and) the nature of the crime extremely egregious" – Zhuhai court
"particularly cruel, and the consequences particularly severe, posing significant harm to society" – Zhuhai court
Both cases reflect growing concerns within China regarding public safety and violent acts. The severity of these crimes has led to intensified discussions about the state of society and the measures necessary to prevent such incidents.
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