Prosecutors Under Fire for ‘Pardoning' Rape

Prosecutors in Lushan County, Henan Province, have been heavily criticized after they revealed that they “successfully” helped two underage parties involved in a rape case to “make up with each other.” Prosecutors said that the 17-year-old suspect had allegedly raped the 16-year-old victim on impulse and both parties had returned to school following mediation and psychological counseling. Prosecutors felt it was an accomplishment as the suspect's parents sent them a banner as a reward. Netizens, however, viewed it as perverting the law, saying that if an act of rape could be pardoned, could murder? Amid the criticism, the prosecutor's office said their words had been inappropriate, and that the suspect had been released on bail. Several days later, the suspect was indicted for his alleged crime, although netizens said that if the case were not made public, they doubted local prosecutors would have done so.