FAM investigates the brutal, coercive tactics used to extract conversions from suspects. The follow excerpts from iFeng (in Chinese), and the original report can be found here.
In 1994, 21 year old Nie Shubin (聂树斌), was caught and charged with rape and murder. The following year, he was executed by the Communist Party of China. Over 20 years later, justice was finally served, as it was proven that he was actually innocent.
Nie Shubin
The story begins in 1994 in Nie Zhuang Village, in Hebei Province, when a girl was raped and murdered. At the time, evidence pointed towards Nie Shubin as the culprit.
Nie Zhuang Village (聂庄村) is an Idyllic village found in the outskirts of Shijiazhuang
Zhuang Huangzhi, Nie Shubin’s mother, pictured in her home
Parts of Nie Village, where the murder occurred has become part of the South-North Water Transfer Project.
In 2005, while police were investigating a serial killer and rapist, authorities apprehended Wang Shujin (王书金), then 38 years old, and he eventually admitted that it was he, and not Nie Shubin, who raped and murdered the girl all those years ago in 1994.
Wang Shujin
Wang Shujin, not only admitted to the rape Nie was charged with, but also confessed to multiple murders.
Wang’s Defense Lawyer Zhu Aimin (right) after the trial
Wang Shujin was convicted in 2007, and sentenced to Death. Since then, Wang Shujin has appealed the verdict, delaying the inevitable.
Hebei Cixian Detention Center. Where Wang has been detained for the past four and a half years. Credit Beijing News
For the family of Nie Shubin, the case of Wang Shujin has opened old wounds, but this time it is different and can finally lead to healing.
After the actual perpetrator came forward, Nie’s family and lawyers (pictured below) fought day and night for a retrial.
Nie Shubin Lawyers Liu Bojin, Chen Guangwu, Yang Jinzhu
Nie Shubin’s father waiting in his yard for the trial to begin.
On December 2, 2016 the Supreme People’s Court (最高人民法院), the highest court in China, announced that Nie Shibin was innocent and had been put to death on false charges.
Nie Shubin’s mother went to the Court to hear the verdict. Credit iFeng
Nie’s Mother give a Press Conference after the Verdict outside the Court
The Supreme Court also stated that they have not yet eliminated the possibility of a forced confession by the Police in 1994 of Nie Shubin.
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