Rape victim's mother wins labor camp lawsuit

A high court in central China's Hunan Province has ruled in favor of a rape victim's mother who sued a local authority for putting her in a labor camp.

The Hunan Provincial People's High Court on Monday ordered the Yongzhou municipal re-education through labor commission to pay Tang Hui 2,941 yuan (478 U.S. dollars) in compensation for infringing upon her personal freedom and causing mental damages.

The 40-year-old mother appealed to the high court in April after the Yongzhou Intermediate People's Court denied her request for an apology and compensation from the re-education through labor commission.

Tang was put into the labor camp after she publicly petitioned for harsher punishments for those found guilty of raping her daughter and forcing her into prostitution.

In October 2006, Tang's then 11-year-old daughter was kidnapped, raped and forced into prostitution. She was rescued on Dec. 30, 2006.

On June 5, 2012, the Hunan Provincial Higher People's Court sentenced two of the girl's kidnappers to death. Four others were given life sentences and another one received a 15-year prison term.

Tang insisted harsher punishments for all those found guilty. She was put in a labor camp in Yongzhou for "seriously disturbing social order and exerting a negative impact on society" after protesting in front of local government buildings on Aug. 2, 2012.

She was sentenced to 18 months in the camp, but was released eight days later amid public outcry urging her release.

In January, the Yongzhou re-education through labor commission rejected her demand for state compensation for the time she spent in the camp.

On Jan. 22, Tang filed a lawsuit at the Intermediate People's Court in Yongzhou in which she asked for 2,463.85 yuan in compensation, the same amount specified in her appeal. Her case was heard on January 28, with courtroom proceedings lasting a single day.

On April 12, the court ruled that Tang was not entitled to the compensation she requested. Tang then appealed.