Criminal investigation on Beijing doctor's stabbing death completed

The criminal investigation into the fatal stabbing of a doctor at a Beijing hospital is closed and the case has been sent to prosecutors for review, Beijing People's Procuratorate said in a statement on Monday.

It stipulates that the high-profile case involving Sun Wenbin is being reviewed by the prosecuting authority's No 3 branch, and whether Sun will be officially charged for the crime of intentional homicide will depend on the review.

On Dec 24, Yang Wen, who was working in the emergency department at Civil Aviation General Hospital in the city's Chaoyang district, was stabbed with a knife by Sun, 55, a patient's relative. Seriously injured in her neck, the doctor died early the following day. 

The case aroused public attention, as well as serious notice from relevant government departments. China's top legislature and health commission condemned the stabbing on Saturday, interpreting it as serious offense rather than a medical dispute.

The law on promotion of basic medical and healthcare, just adopted on Saturday, also outlaws illegal acts targeting medical staff and institutions, clarifying that the personal safety and dignity of medical workers must not be infringed upon and that their legitimate rights are protected by law.