Convicted killer executed in Beijing

Guo Wensi, a former prisoner who caused the death of one person and injured two others during the pandemic, was executed on Wednesday in Beijing after the Supreme People's Court, China's top court, approved his death penalty.

The Beijing No 2 Intermediate People's Court protected Guo's legitimate right to meet his family members before carrying out the execution.

Guo, a Beijing native, was given a life imprisonment in 2005 for killing his girlfriend, and he was freed in 2019.

He triggered public outcry in March 2020 as he caused one death and two injuries during the outbreak in the capital. He refused to wear facial mask in a market in Beijing after an elderly man requested him to do so. Guo assaulted the man following an argument, and injured two other people who tried to stop him.

The elderly man died after being sent to hospital.

Guo was also found to have improperly received nine commutations after he began serving the life prison term. The multiple commutations were the result of duty crimes by several prison and court officials across the city.

The officials used their work posts to illegally help Guo reduce his sentence after accepting "benefits" from Guo's family members and others.

Guo was sentenced to death for his crime of intentional injury during the pandemic by the intermediate court in January last year. Thirteen others involved in Guo's improper commutations, including the prison and court officials, were also given prison sentences.