From NetEase:

Mother of the young Hunan girl who was forced into prostitution is sentenced to reeducation through labor for complaints against the police

Summary: The “Hunan Yongzhou 11-Year-Old Young Girl Forced Into Prostitution Case” that caused a sensation many years ago has once again attracted the attention of netizens because of a microblog post by the representing lawyer after the final judicial verdict was handed down.

[…]

Gan Yuanchun, the lawyer representing Tang Hui, the mother of the young girl victim, posted information on his personal microblog claiming that [on August 3rd], the Lingling Sub-Bureau of the Hunan Yongzhou City Public Security Bureau [police], citing “disturbance of public order“, sentenced Tang Hui to a year and a half of reeducation through labor. Gan Yuanchun told this Chengdu.cn reporter that although the principal defendant Qin Xing has already been given the death sentence, Tang Hui continued to file complaints with the relevant government departments, hoping to punish all of the Yuanzhou police officers who helped defendant Qin Xing fabricate his “record of meritorious service” [which was cited to lessen his sentence].

Tang Hui’s husband Zhang Hui told this journalist that [on the morning of August 2nd], not long after Tang Hui had gone to work, police notified her to go to the Public Security Bureau to take deal with some matters. Afterward, Tang Hui went to the Lingling Sub-Bureau police station alone. Not long later, four police officers came to their home and had him hand over the previous complaint documents and materials. Tang Hui did not return home that night until the morning of the next day when Zhang Hui received a notice from the Lingling Sub-Bureau police to go to the station to provide a signature. It was only then that he learned that Tang Hui has already been sent to the Baimalong Women’s Reeducation Through Labor Institution in Hunan province to serve one and a half years of reeducation through labor.

[…]

As it is known, the “Young Girl Forced Into Prostitution Case” happened in 2006, the victim having been coerced by Zhou Junhui into the leisure center [aka bath center, bathhouse, spa] operated by Qin Xing and Chen Gang to sell sex for as long as 3 months, during which time she was raped by Liu Run, Lan Xiaoqiang, Qin Bin, and Jiang Junjun. Tang Hui hoped that the court would sentence the 7 individuals to death. However in the final verdict, Qin Xing and Zhou Junhui were given the death sentence while the rest were given life sentences or limited sentences.

However, the matter didn’t end here. Tang Hui believed that there were varying levels of misconduct by the police in this case, but they had not received any punishments, and therefore she has been petitioning [filing complaints with] the relevant departments regarding this matter.

According to what Chengdu.cn has learned, in 2010, while Tang Hui’s lawyer was examining documents at the Yongzhou Intermediate Court, he discovered witness testimony claiming that 13 prisoners at the Lengshuitan Detention Center testified that on the afternoon of 2007 June 12th, Qin Xing had saved detainee Zhou Lanlan from committing suicide. Qin Xing’s [legal] representative cited this as “a record of meritorious behavior” hoping that the court would lessen his sentence.

However, this reporter obtained notes/transcripts from a lawyer that indicate that Zhou Lanlan denied that he had any suicidal behavior at the time. According to Gan Yuanchun’s statements, detention center police officer Tang Aiguo and others had fabricated this record of meritorious conduct. Another lawyer involved in this case, Hu Yihua, says: “At this point, I haven’t seen any documents regarding any punishment of the police officers involved.”

[…]

The overwhelming Chinese netizen outrage and condemnation against the Yongzhou police as well as demands for Tang Hui’s release is not surprising. What is interesting however is the Chinese netizen reactions to the very public, very critical, and widely unexpected position that state-controlled newspaper The People’s Daily has taken on their official Sina Weibo microblog account…

From The People’s Daily Sina Weibo microblog:

@人民日报: Hello, tomorrow: Experts recently announced that based on a three-tier benchmark test, the “Common Task of the Revival of the Chinese Nation” [a government policy for developing China’s economy and civilization, and creating a harmonious society] is already 62% complete. However, when the mother of the Hunan Yongzhou girl rape victim makes news because she was sentenced to reeducation through labor for petitioning, this number pales in comparison. The strength of a nation should not only be measured by GDP or Olympic gold medals. Such complex mathematical models should even more include the rights and dignity of the ordinary common people and the fairness and justice of society. We must work together. Goodnight.

Comments from Sina Weibo:

甜辣还须到口尝：

The People’s Daily serving the people.

迷斯特_Ma：

@人民日报 [People’s Daily] Are we certain [People’s Daily’s Sina Weibo account] hasn’t been compromised by hackers? For them to have made such a strong statement… However, regardless of whether or not [it’s really The People’s Daily], the country having more statements like this is still a very good thing.

摘星手010:

This post by The People’s Daily’s official microblog account has been reposted/forwarded 110k times with over 35k comments. This morning, the lawyer met with Mother Tang and passed on the People’s Daily’s sincere concern and the Party newspaper’s clear-cut position [on this matter], as well as the position of the Hunan provincial party committee. This is a moment where the will of the Party and the will of the people are in accord.

潘石屹:

Today I have become a fan/follower of the @人民日报 microblog account.

无极版_8d5：

Is this really The People’s Daily?

窈窕老淑女：

The People’s Daily: Now that you stand on the side of the people, have you felt the people’s enthusiastic smiles and warm embrace?

tao5466：

After so many decades, I’ve finally heard The People’s Daily say something human.

大拉丁：

The People’s Daily is finally not fucking the people.

爱公益小秦：

Hope The People’s Daily will spend more time reporting/discussing the hardships of the people in the future, rather than just singing praises [of the government].

lu漫漫2001：

When did the winds change? Of course, that they’re able to say this is also progress! Let’s see what happens in the future.

战士小妖：

How unexpected that The People’s Daily has reported this matter. Democratization is an inevitable process. I just hope this process doesn’t take too long and doesn’t come with too big of a cost!!

谭晓星：

Even The People’s Daily has come out in opposition against the local government?! This really is a little hard to believe!

诗人沙光：

Time to go home, Tang Hui. The just and conscientious people all stand on your side. You have my prayers and I wish you the best.

傲慢的我的生活：

Only when the ordinary common people have dignity and there is equality in rights can the country become strong and powerful.

横看成岭侧成峰-高度：

Going to download and save this microblog post, so whenever I look at it, hope will ignite in my heart.

飘博-流年：

The People’s Daily speaking for the people. Will it be harmonized?

华叔你好：

I bet they were hacked. Either that or it was written by a new hire. Who after writing this was quickly fired!

静听阳光的微博：

Each time they say one thing a human would say, they’ll have to then say 100 things only demons would say [lies, false propaganda].

阅读参考：

We are ignored even when we are making appeals on our knees, yet they say the people have finally stood up! We can’t even choose our own officials, yet they say the people are their own masters! Our lives are treated with contempt, yet they say they put the people first when implementing policies! Our speech and writing can all be censored, yet they say there is full freedom of speech! Even our births are differentiated by household register, yet they say everyone enjoys equality! We are unable to protect even our own children…

子不悦故不曰：