rule of law (file photo) Photo: VCG

 
The Youjiang District People's Court in Baise, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, publicly pronounced the first-instance verdict in the criminal and incidental civil litigation case involving defendant Tang Yuwen for rape and forced indecency, sentencing him to 18 years in prison and five years' deprivation of political rights, CCTV News reported on Monday.

Tang was convicted of rape and sentenced to 15 years in prison with five years' deprivation of political rights; he was also convicted of forced indecency and sentenced to five years of imprisonment. Under combined sentencing for multiple offenses, the court imposed a final sentence of 18 years' imprisonment and five years' deprivation of political rights. Additionally, the defendant was prohibited from engaging in work that involves close contact with minors and ordered to compensate the victim's parents for economic losses , according to the report.

The court found that Tang, while serving as the head teacher of a high school in Baise, committed rape twice and forced indecency once against a female student suffering from depression between September and November 2019. The victim, who suffered from depression, graduated from high school in June 2020, retook classes at another school for one year before being admitted to a university in September 2021. In September 2023, she withdrew from the university due to illness, and in January 2025, she died by suicide at home following a depressive episode. According to the evaluation, although the defendant's sexual assault did not directly cause the victim's death by suicide, they contributed to the aggravation of her condition.

The Youjiang District People's Court held that Tang's crimes were malicious in nature, caused serious consequences and had an extremely negative social impact, warranting severe punishment. Based on the facts, nature, circumstances of the crimes, as well as the degree of harm to society, the court rendered the judgment accordingly.

Global Times