Minors in the legal system must be protected

A suspect detained on suspicion of gang rape has been publicly revealed to be the son of a celebrity couple, showing that more needs to be done to uphold the Law on the Protection of Minors, says an article on Guangming Online. Excerpts:

Li Guanfeng, the 17-year-old son of well-known military couple Li Shuangjiang and Meng Ge, is among five suspects being investigated by Beijing police over allegations of a sexual assault on Feb 17.

Although the allegations have sparked some discussion, and many have said it is unfortunate the incident involves a minor, the majority of online opinions were either scornful or sarcastic, with online users calling the boy a "celebrity bully" and digging into his father's affairs.

Considering the boy seriously assaulted a couple two years ago when he was 15 years old, if the recent allegations prove true, then he clearly has personality problems that need to be professionally addressed. In the meantime, he is still a minor and should be protected by the law.

According to the Law on the Protection of Minors, in cases involving juveniles neither their names nor address should be disclosed, and no photos, videos or other material should be released from which their identity might be deduced.

That Li has been named as one of the suspects is clearly in violation of the law, and there have been many stories and rumors posted about Li online. This has undermined the law's authority and increased pressure on all the parties involved, including the alleged victim.

Li is known to frequent nightclubs, despite being underage, and questions must be asked of the way Li Shuangjiang and his wife have raised their son and the way in which entertainment venues are supervised.

Li has also already spent one year in a juvenile correction facility, so if the latest allegations prove true, the government should reflect on its institutional arrangements for young offenders.