3 men convicted of raping minors executed in China

BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Three men convicted of raping minors were executed in China on Tuesday, according to the Supreme People's Court (SPC).

The death sentences were approved by the SPC before the Intermediate People's Court of Xiaogan in Hubei Province, the Intermediate People's Court of Weifang in Shandong Province, and the Intermediate People's Court of Anyang in Henan Province carried out the executions, the SPC said in a statement.

The convicts targeted elementary and junior high school girls through online chat tools, the SPC said. Their crimes were of a serious nature and inflicted great harm on society, it added.

The executions reflect the commitment of people's courts to resolutely punishing sexual assault crimes against minors in accordance with the law. They also serve as a reminder for minors to improve their awareness of self-protection, and for parents, schools and the society to enhance sex education for minors and the supervision of internet use to protect them from online crimes, the SPC said.

People's courts have always attached great importance to the protection of the rights and interests of minors, and have harshly punished the crimes related to the sexual assault of minors in accordance with the law, according to an SPC official.