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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| China to execute ransom kidnapper | China to execute ransom kidnapper |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| One person has been sentenced to death and others sent to prison in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou following a series of kidnappings. | One person has been sentenced to death and others sent to prison in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou following a series of kidnappings. |
| They were involved in nine separate cases of kidnapping and extortion, according to China's state-run news agency Xinhua. | They were involved in nine separate cases of kidnapping and extortion, according to China's state-run news agency Xinhua. |
| In total 25 people were convicted. Those jailed were sent to prison for up to 20 years. | In total 25 people were convicted. Those jailed were sent to prison for up to 20 years. |
| Xinhua originally reported that 25 people had been sentenced to death. | Xinhua originally reported that 25 people had been sentenced to death. |
| Found dead | Found dead |
| Xinhua gave few details about the cases, but one involved an 11-year-old boy. | Xinhua gave few details about the cases, but one involved an 11-year-old boy. |
| He was said to have been lured to a rented flat by captors who promised to buy him online gaming equipment. They asked his father to pay 150,000 yuan ($22,000, £14,000) ransom. | He was said to have been lured to a rented flat by captors who promised to buy him online gaming equipment. They asked his father to pay 150,000 yuan ($22,000, £14,000) ransom. |
| He was held for three days and nights before being rescued. His kidnappers were sent to prison. | He was held for three days and nights before being rescued. His kidnappers were sent to prison. |
| In another case, the kidnapped victim was found dead, despite his family having paid some ransom money. | In another case, the kidnapped victim was found dead, despite his family having paid some ransom money. |
| Xinhua did not say when the trials took place. | Xinhua did not say when the trials took place. |
| But the news agency quoted Guangzhou's intermediate people's court as saying the sentences were being published together to serve as a warning to other criminals. | But the news agency quoted Guangzhou's intermediate people's court as saying the sentences were being published together to serve as a warning to other criminals. |
| No-one was available to comment on the cases at either of the two courts involved, or at the local government. | No-one was available to comment on the cases at either of the two courts involved, or at the local government. |
| China executes more people each year then all other countries in the world combined. | China executes more people each year then all other countries in the world combined. |
| It does not publish a comprehensive list of those it puts to death, but the figure is believed to be several thousand a year. | It does not publish a comprehensive list of those it puts to death, but the figure is believed to be several thousand a year. |
| Xinhua initially said 25 people had been sentenced to death, and its statement was briefly reported by the BBC, but the agency later issued a corrected report saying only one person had received the death sentence. |