On April 24, Zhang Moubin, the person in charge of Qingdao Zhenyu Juying Martial Arts Sports Club and Qingdao Chongde Juying Martial Arts Club, as well as coaches Li Mouding and Zhang Mouhao, were openly tried in Qingdao People's Court on suspicion of intentional injury causing the death of 8-year-old student Zhai (pseudonym Qiqi).
During the trial, although the three defendants all pleaded guilty, their attitudes and many sophistries in the statement of facts made the Zhai Chunguang family deeply chilled, and they insisted that they be held accountable for intentional homicide, and listed Shi Mou, the club's legal representative, as the defendant.
According to previous media reports, the boy who was beaten to death was originally a lively and cute child, full of curiosity and yearning for martial arts. However, after he signed up to study at Qingdao Zhenyu Juying Martial Arts Sports Club, he encountered unimaginable misfortune.
On June 18 last year, when Zhai was training at the club, he was beaten by three people, including club owner Zhang Moubin, coach Li Mouding, and Zhang Moubin's son Zhang Mouhao, because of irregular movements.
According to the boy's father, Zhai Chunguang, on the day of the incident, he received a video from the club owner, in which Zhai fell to the ground, and the boss said that the child only suddenly became ill. However, when Zhai Chunguang arrived at the scene, he found that the child was already dying, and his body was covered with scars. Although he was rushed to the hospital for rescue, Zhai eventually died of his injuries due to serious injuries.
The results of the forensic examination showed that Zhai was hit with a blunt object and caused extensive soft tissue contusion, resulting in traumatic shock and death from pulmonary fat embolism. This conclusion shocked and angered Zhai Chunguang and all those who followed the case. A child who was only 8 years old lost his life under the "education" of a martial arts club, and the perpetrators even tried to cover up the truth and disguise the child's death as an accident.
At the trial, all three defendants pleaded guilty, but their admission of guilt was unconvincing. Zhai Chunguang said that although the three defendants verbally admitted their crimes in court, they were still quibbling in the details of the facts, passing the buck to each other, claiming that they had not beaten enough to kill the child. This attitude made Zhai Chunguang feel unacceptable, and he believed that it was a great disrespect to the deceased and his family.
What made Zhai Chunguang even more angry was that although Shi Mou, the legal representative of the club, was questioned by his family and the public about his involvement in the case, the prosecution believed that there was no evidence and criminal facts to hold him responsible. Zhai Chunguang insisted that Shi, as the legal representative of the club, knew about the beating but did not stop it, covered up and concealed it, and even handed over the tools of the beating, and should be severely punished by law as one of the defendants.
At the scene of the trial, multiple surveillance videos of Zhai being beaten were also played, and the violence in the pictures was shocking. In the video, Zhai was beaten with wires, sticks and other objects, and was even abused by holding down his chest. This cruel treatment of a child made the families and the public who were watching feel heartache and anger.
In the course of the trial, the defendant also defended himself, saying that he had voluntarily surrendered, that he had no subjective malice, and that he was willing to pay compensation. However, in the eyes of Zhai Chunguang and the public, these justifications are just an excuse for them to evade legal punishment.
Zhai Chunguang said: "I don't accept the apology, I only ask for severe punishment." This dedication stems from a father's endless thoughts and deep sorrow for his son, as well as his ardent expectation for social fairness and justice.
For Zhai Chunguang, the law is not only a sword to punish crimes, but also the last line of defense to soothe pain and demonstrate justice. He hopes that through the power of the law, those who disregard life and trample on the dignity of education will pay the price they deserve, so as to warn the world that respecting life and caring for children's rights and interests is the bottom line of society and cannot be shaken in the slightest.
In the face of such tragedies, we cannot help but ask: what makes the holy land of education a hotbed of violence? What is it that makes teachers lose their minds and inflict cruel atrocities on young lives? Perhaps, the answer is not complicated, but nothing more than a mixture of greed, indifference, ignorance and arrogance. However, eradicating these problems requires the concerted efforts of the whole society.
The education department should strengthen the qualification review and routine supervision of training institutions, and severely punish violations of the law;
When choosing a training institution, parents should be vigilant and carefully examine their teachers, teaching environment and safety measures, and all sectors of society should continue to pay attention to such incidents and promote the formation of a consensus and synergy on the protection of minors.