In the solemn courtroom of the Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court, the first-instance verdict was pronounced in a case of murder of his wife caused by the cooling-off period for divorce, and the defendant Zhao Liuchao was sentenced to death for intentional homicide and deprived of political rights for life. This verdict has put an end to this tragedy, but for the families of the victims, the pain in their hearts is difficult to heal.
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The case took place on the night of July 30, 2023, on the 13th day of the cooling-off period for divorce. That night, the victim Zhou Mouxia, accompanied by relatives and friends, agreed with Zhao Liuchao to meet at the gate of an industrial park in Guangzhou. Zhao Liuchao rushed straight to Zhou Mouxia with anger and impulse, and after being stopped by Zhou Mouxia and others, he actually stabbed Zhou Mouxia and others with a sharp knife he carried, causing Zhou Mouxia to die on the spot and Zhou Mouxia and four others to be injured.
This incident shocked society and sparked widespread concern and discussion. People expressed their indignation at Zhao Liuchao's cruel behavior and expressed condolences for Zhou Mouxia's death. At the same time, this case has also triggered deep thinking about the cooling-off period system for divorce.
The original intention of the divorce cooling-off period system is to solve the widespread problem of "flash marriage and divorce" in society, by giving both spouses enough time to think calmly and avoid making divorce decisions on impulse. However, in this case, the system provided Zhao Liuchao with room to repent, allowing him to accumulate more anger and resentment during the cooling-off period, which eventually led to the tragedy.
For Zhao Liuchao, he may have reflected on his behavior during the cooling-off period, but he failed to face the reality rationally and embarked on an extreme path. During the trial, he insisted that he did not intentionally kill people, and even asked the judge "whether the death sentence was carried out immediately" after learning of the death sentence. This disregard for life and indifference to the suffering of others is shocking and saddening.
After learning of the verdict, the victim's family felt temporary comfort, but the pain in their hearts was difficult to heal. They recalled the bits and pieces of Zhou Mouxia's life and felt unacceptable to her death. Zhou Mouxia's sister told the media that her sister was a kind and gentle person, but she was treated so cruelly.
She said that although the first-instance verdict gave the family temporary comfort, they still did not dare to breathe a sigh of relief, fearing that Zhao Liuchao would appeal. This case has also triggered social reflection on the freedom of marriage. Freedom to marry includes not only the freedom to marry, but also the freedom to divorce.
In the pursuit of the freedom of marriage, we should not ignore the importance of the freedom of divorce. While the establishment of a cooling-off period for divorce has its positive aspects, it should also be more thoughtful and flexible, taking into account various special circumstances, and providing more adequate security for those who choose to divorce because they have suffered from marriage.
At the same time, we should also strengthen the publicity and education of the Marriage Law, so that more people can understand the relevant provisions of the Marriage Law and avoid making irrational decisions under impulse. For marital relationships with serious problems such as domestic violence, measures should be taken in a timely manner to intervene and protect them to avoid the occurrence of tragedies.
Epilogue:
Looking back on this case, we cannot help but ponder: How to maintain social harmony and stability while protecting the freedom of marriage? How to remain rational and calm in the face of family conflicts? This is not only an issue that individuals need to think about, but also a challenge that society needs to face together.
Let us once again mourn the passing of Zhou Mouxia and hope that she can rest in peace in another world. At the same time, it is also hoped that this case can arouse more people's attention and thinking, and promote the progress and development of society.