China’s government has executed two men responsible for deadly attacks that left dozens dead in November, fueling concerns about a rise in so-called “revenge crimes against society,” state media reported Monday.
The first case corresponds to Fan Weiqua 62-year-old man who was executed on January 20 after ramming his car into a crowd in front of a sports venue in the city of Zhuhai, in the south of the country. This attack, which resulted in at least 35 deaths, has been classified as the deadliest in more than a decade in China. According to authorities, Fan was disturbed by the terms of his divorce agreement, which led him to carry out the act.
READ: Pope Francis confesses that nuns work better than men
The second case involved Xu Jiajin, a 21-year-old who carried out a knife attack at his trade school in Wuxi, eastern China, also in November. The attack left eight people dead and 17 injured. According to police, Xu had failed his exams and failed to graduate, in addition to being dissatisfied with his salary during an internship. Xu was executed the same day, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
The killings prompted Chinese President Xi Jinping to urge local governments to take measures to prevent such attacks, known as “revenge crimes against society.” The two men’s death sentences were issued in December by the intermediate people’s courts of Zhuhai and Wuxi cities, respectively, and approved by the Supreme People’s Court, according to state media.
China is believed to execute more prisoners each year than the rest of the world combined, although the total is classified as a state secret. Executions are usually carried out by shooting, although lethal injections have also been introduced in recent years.
READ: Trump attacks the bishop who asked him for mercy for immigrant and LGBT+ children
Stay up to date with the news, join our channel WhatsApp.
TO THE