Photo: screenshot from Sina Weibo

Chen Jizhi, the prime culprit involved in the harassment and brutal beating of four women at a restaurant in Tangshan in North China's Hebei Province, has been sentenced to 24 years in prison and fined 320,000 yuan ($45,215), the Guangyang district people's court in Langfang in Hebei announced on Friday. The ruling came three months after the attack occurred in June this year.

The remaining 27 defendants were sentenced to between six months and 11 years in prison in accordance with the law. Among the 27 defendants, 19 were fined between 3,000 yuan and 135,000 yuan, according to the court ruling.

Chen Jizhi, the prime culprit, and five other defendants will correspondingly compensate the four victims for costs incurred for medical treatment, nursing, food subsidies, transportation and other losses, according to the court.

Following the investigation, it was found that defendant Chen attacked one of the victims, surnamed Wang, after the latter declined his inappropriate advances. Later, Chen and the other defendants kicked and attacked the four women using chairs and wine bottles, and one of the defendants even threatened the victims, warning them not to report the incident to the police.

Two of the victims suffered class II minor injuries, and the other two suffered mild injuries, according to the ruling.

The incident sparked outrage over gender-based violence across the country after the video of the brutal restaurant beating went viral, with millions of netizens on China's social media condemning violence against women. 

The topic related to the prime culprit sentenced to 24 years also saw heated discussion online on Friday, with more than 1.32 billion clicks received on Sina Weibo, with many netizens welcoming the punishment. Some netizens said there should be no possibility of their sentences being reduced.

Chen and the other defendants have had a history of unlawful conduct since 2012, including illegal detention, affray, intentional injury, opening of casinos, robbery, concealing the proceeds of crime and assisting in the criminal activities of information networks by using violence, threats and other means in Tangshan and other regions throughout the country, according to the court. The criminal organization oppressed people, and destroyed the local economic and social order, causing a negative impact on the community, the ruling outlined.

On December 12, 2015, Chen, who was allegedly seeking to recover a debt, incited four others to beat up and illegally detain a victim surnamed Shang, who suffered mild injuries. On September 23, 2018, Chen instigated others to offer what was known to be a stolen vehicle to cover a loan of 148,000 yuan, according to media reports.


Global Times