Ban to help protect kids from sexual predators

Latest cases of sexual assaults on children

• In August, Guo Yuchi, an official from Daguan, Yunnan province, was arrested on suspicion of raping a 4-year-old girl. Guo was convicted of the crime and was sentenced to five years in prison. Parents of the victim refused to accept the verdict and lodged an appeal in October.

• In June, Yang Qifa, 59, principal of a primary school in Qianshan, Anhui province, was convicted of sexually assaulting nine students from the first to fourth grades, and was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

• In June, Li Xingong, an official from Yongcheng, Henan province, was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting 11 girls, the youngest of whom was 9 years old. Li was sentenced to death and was executed on June 18.

• In June, Ji Songgang, a security guard in Wuhu, Anhui province, was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting more than 10 primary school students, aged from 7 to 10 years. The case is still under investigation.

• In May, Chen Zaipeng, principal of a primary school in Wanning, Hainan province, and Feng Xiaosong, a staff member from the local housing authority, were arrested on suspicion of raping six sixth-grade students. They were convicted of the crime in June. Chen was sentenced to 13-and-a-half years in prison, while Feng was sentenced to 11-and-a-half years.