China Headlines: Online poster for "death penalty for all child traffickers" stirs debate

A poster has gone viral on Chinese social media, sparking a raging debate over whether capital punishment is suitable for convicted child traffickers.

"I strongly suggest legal provisions be revised and all child traffickers sentenced to death," reads the poster that features a picture of a boy crying.

The poster was part of a marketing campaign by a dating website. By the time the website owned up to the publicity stunt, saying one of its employees had acted alone, it had been shared over 500,000 times on WeChat, the instant messaging app.

The sharing of the poster reflects the public's fear of child abduction, Wang Mingliang, professor of criminal law at Fudan University, Shanghai, told Xinhua.

"Any child could be snatched, any family could fall victim, that's how the public feel. It is no wonder they support the death penalty and are not scared to express this," Wang added.

But is the death penalty a suitable sentence?

Over 9.5 million people had discussed the topic on China's Twitter-like Weibo by Friday morning.

An online survey by the Beijing News found that almost 80 percent of 70,000 respondents agreed that the death penalty was suitable in cases of child snatchers.

However, not everyone agrees.

Child trafficking trials must be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, because "this idea of a death penalty for all" does no good to legal justice, Wang said.

"The poster appeals to our caring side, but it is irrational," said Yu Guoming, professor of journalism at Renmin University, Beijing.

One Weibo user, "Mr. Fa Lanke", said "traffickers could go to the extreme and, in desperation, hurt or even kill a child."

Human traffickers can be sentenced to a maximum ten years in prison, according to the Criminal Law. In extreme cases, which involve more than three victims, the criminals can be sentenced to life imprisonment or death.

Nearly 13,000 people involved in trafficking were punished from 2010 to 2014, according to the Supreme People's Court. More than half got punishment ranging from at least five years in prison to death.

Mainstream-legal representatives have reached the consensus that non-violent criminals should not be sentenced to death.

Capital punishment should be gradually cut down and eventually abolished, even for violent criminals, Wang added.

For many years, child trafficking has been a lucrative business in China, as adoption procedures are very complicated. The traditional preference of boys over girls, especially in the countryside, has also fueled the offences.

Should buyers of abducted children be given tougher punishments?

Many think the current penalties for buyers, "no more than three years in prison, criminal detention or public surveillance", are too lenient. Others worry about the possible backfire.

Shi Yan'an, professor of law at Renmin University, said more research was needed.

All sources interviewed by Xinhua agreed that criminal law is neither the only method nor the best one to protect children.

Back in 2009, the public security ministry set up the world's first DNA database, and has so far helped thousands of families find their lost children.

The Legal Daily reported that saving one abducted child or woman could cost up to 30,000 yuan (about 5,000 US dollars). The operation against major trafficking crimes could cost over a million yuan.

Wang also pointed out that the debate over the poster has helped to bring the subject into the public realm.

"Child trafficking could easily devastate a whole family. If every citizen stays alert, preventive measures might be surprisingly effective," he said. Endi