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China general's son on trial over rape
Gang-rape accused Li Tianyi and his father, General Li Shuangjiang, seen at the teenager's solo concert in Beijing in 2011.
BEIJING - The teenage son of a prominent Chinese general has gone on trial over his involvement in an alleged gang-rape at a Beijing hotel, in a case that has sparked public outrage.
Li Tianyi, 17, is among five men accused of sexually assaulting a woman in February, according to state media.
His father is General Li Shuangjiang of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), a singer known for performing patriotic songs on television shows and at official events. Li's mother Meng Ge is a famous singer in the PLA.
She was at the Beijing court yesterday morning but did not take questions from journalists, Xinhua news agency said.
It is not the teenager's first brush with the law.
In 2011, he drove a BMW into another car in Beijing, beat up the couple in the vehicle and then scoffed at bystanders about calling the police. He was sentenced to a year in a juvenile correctional facility and his father made a public apology.
The latest case has dominated headlines for weeks, focusing attention again on China's political aristocrats who are viewed as corrupt and above the law.
It follows the dramatic trial of ousted leader Bo Xilai, whose family's lurid excesses were detailed in court and lapped up on social media.
Li has become the most prominent target of complaints that the sons and daughters of top-ranked Communist Party officials can dodge the law because of family influence.
"The public is worried that his family, because of their relationships and power, will be able to use their connections," said Professor Zhang Ming of Renmin University.
"In China, this kind of privilege is very powerful. It's omni-present," he said. "The people's fears are not groundless."
Li's family has reportedly argued that the incident was a case of prostitution rather than rape.
Lawyer Chen Shu said his client would not plead guilty.
Xinhua quoted the victim's lawyer as saying she was in hospital because of stress and would not take part in the hearings.
In July, hackers attacked the website of a law firm representing Li, saying: "We just want to return justice to the client."
President Xi Jinping has made addressing discontent over abuses by officials a main goal.
Even the People's Daily, the party's mouthpiece, weighed in on Li's case when it broke, saying the failure of prominent families to educate their children could "lead to antagonism among the people".
REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Gang-rape accused Li Tianyi and his father, General Li Shuangjiang, seen at the teenager's solo concert in Beijing in 2011.
BEIJING - The teenage son of a prominent Chinese general has gone on trial over his involvement in an alleged gang-rape at a Beijing hotel, in a case that has sparked public outrage.
Li Tianyi, 17, is among five men accused of sexually assaulting a woman in February, according to state media.
His father is General Li Shuangjiang of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), a singer known for performing patriotic songs on television shows and at official events. Li's mother Meng Ge is a famous singer in the PLA.
She was at the Beijing court yesterday morning but did not take questions from journalists, Xinhua news agency said.
It is not the teenager's first brush with the law.
In 2011, he drove a BMW into another car in Beijing, beat up the couple in the vehicle and then scoffed at bystanders about calling the police. He was sentenced to a year in a juvenile correctional facility and his father made a public apology.
The latest case has dominated headlines for weeks, focusing attention again on China's political aristocrats who are viewed as corrupt and above the law.
It follows the dramatic trial of ousted leader Bo Xilai, whose family's lurid excesses were detailed in court and lapped up on social media.
Li has become the most prominent target of complaints that the sons and daughters of top-ranked Communist Party officials can dodge the law because of family influence.
"The public is worried that his family, because of their relationships and power, will be able to use their connections," said Professor Zhang Ming of Renmin University.
"In China, this kind of privilege is very powerful. It's omni-present," he said. "The people's fears are not groundless."
Li's family has reportedly argued that the incident was a case of prostitution rather than rape.
Lawyer Chen Shu said his client would not plead guilty.
Xinhua quoted the victim's lawyer as saying she was in hospital because of stress and would not take part in the hearings.
In July, hackers attacked the website of a law firm representing Li, saying: "We just want to return justice to the client."
President Xi Jinping has made addressing discontent over abuses by officials a main goal.
Even the People's Daily, the party's mouthpiece, weighed in on Li's case when it broke, saying the failure of prominent families to educate their children could "lead to antagonism among the people".
REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
