STANDING TRIAL: Two suspects, Lorang Konchok (right) and Lorang Tsering, are tried in the Intermediate People's Court of Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture on January 26 (WEI YAO)

Two suspects had their day in the Intermediate People's Court of Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Sichuan Province on January 26. They are the first to be tried for inciting people to set themselves on fire since China issued new judicial interpretation to fight such crimes at the end of last year.

Lorang Konchok, 40, a monk of the Kirti Monastery in Aba County, and his nephew Lorang Tsering, a 31-year-old herdsman, were arrested in August 2012 following a spate of self-immolations in Aba. The Aba Prefectural People's Procuratorate filed the charges against them in December.

Public prosecution

The hearing began at 9 a.m. and ended at 1:40 p.m.

The procuratorate announced the bill of indictment.

As early as 2009, Lorang Konchok was contacted by Samten, a key figure with the media liaison team of the Kirti Monastery Abroad, a "Tibet independence" organization based in India. Samten requested Lorang Konchok to instigate people to set themselves on fire and send their information and photos abroad for secessionist propaganda, a local prosecutor said.

The prosecution said that Lorang Konchok took advantage of his position and influence as a senior monk in the monastery to spread speeches among other monks and followers that self-immolation is not contrary to Buddhist doctrines and those who did it were "heroes." He also recruited his nephew Lorang Tsering to help instigate.

Lorang Tsering was designated as an accessory to the crimes.

The two suspects goaded eight people to set themselves on fire. Three of them burned to death since March 2012. All victims were young male Tibetans between the ages of 19 and 28.

The local prosecutor suggested at the end of the indictment that in view of the fact that the two suspects had seriously violated the Criminal Law, they should be charged with intentional homicide.

Then, the prosecutor presented evidence, including arrest warrants, confessions, testimony, photos, gasoline bottles and a mobile phone as well as telephone messages. The prosecutor verified all evidence was obtained legally.

The suspects did not object to any of the evidence.

Legal basis

The court designated two lawyers to defend the accused. The attorneys debated the prosecution's accusation of intentional homicide.

The attorneys expressed no doubts on the guilt of two suspects, but they put forward their opinions on the accusation, arguing that Lorang Konchok and Lorang Tsering did not kill people with tangible instruments in person, therefore their crimes did not constitute intentional homicide. Moreover, both admitted guilt and had shown great repentance while in custody. The attorneys suggested the court consider these views and show leniency toward the suspects.

Citing related legal regulations, the prosecutor said that inciting self-immolation has the same nature as intentional homicide, the two suspects intended to rob the lives of other innocent people by instigation, and their acts directly led to three deaths.

The prosecutor said that the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate of China as well as the Ministry of Public Security jointly issued a judicial interpretation last December countering crimes of inciting self-immolations, which stipulates that criminals who commit the crime of inciting self-immolations should be charged with intentional homicide.

In addition, the prosecutor said that Lorang Konchok and Lorang Tsering colluded with secessionists. "They conspired to split the country and undermine public security by causing self-immolations. Their acts have affected local people and threatened national security. Therefore, the two suspects should be punished severely," the prosecutor said.