News from Epoch Times on February 19, 2025: In Shaoyang County, Shaoyang City, Hunan Province, a 93-year-old man who was sentenced to 15 years in prison for raping a minor girl refused to be detained in prison by the detention center on the grounds that “he cannot take care of himself”. Recently, the court decided to temporarily execute outside of prison, sparking outrage online.
According to the public announcement of Shaoyang Intermediate People’s Court, Zhou, male, born on June 9, 1931, was sentenced to fifteen years in prison for rape on October 14, 2024. On November 14, 2024, Shaoyang County Detention Center refused to detain Zhou, citing his inability to take care of himself, and suggested that the court temporarily execute him outside of prison. The court accepted the case on February 12, 2025, and is now publicly soliciting social supervision. The public notice period is 3 days.
According to information from Shaoyang Intermediate People’s Court, Zhou committed the crime in 2022 when he was 91 years old. The case involved a minor victim.
The staff of Shaoyang County Community Correction Management Bureau told Chinese News Weekly that if the court finally decides to implement community correction, Zhou will be under supervision after reporting, needing to check in twice a day via mobile phone and report to the judicial office for learning every month. During the period, Zhou, as a community correction subject, can move within the county but cannot leave the jurisdiction.
Why was Zhou detained by the detention center instead of a prison? A senior industry insider said that it is highly probable that Zhou was not detained after the verdict.
Elderly sexual offenses are not isolated incidents. In Wuxi City, an 83-year-old retired teacher, Xu, was sentenced twice for molesting young girls. In 2017, Xu, while teaching piano at home, molested two girls aged 9 multiple times.
On February 18, the topic “93-year-old man sentenced for rape, detention center refuses to detain” trended on Weibo, sparking public anger.
Many netizens questioned, “At 93 years old, he can commit rape, but unable to take care of himself, isn’t this absurd?” “How could he take care of himself when he committed the crime?” “Allowing him to roam free, is this not encouraging elderly criminals to continue their crimes?” “What about the fairness to the young girls who were victims?”
“He can still move around within the county, isn’t this like having no punishment at all?” “Execute outside of prison? Won’t neighbors be scared? Especially when there are young girls in the vicinity who are not yet mature.” “What about the Minor Protection Law at this time? Those who need protection are not being protected.” “Society’s sorrow lies in not giving severe punishment to such individuals.”