A court in east China's Shandong Province has upheld the death sentence for an arsonist who set a fire that killed a farmer and injured three others after a dispute over land.
On Monday, the Shandong Provincial Higher People's Court dismissed the appeal of Wang Yuefu, the main defendant in the arson attack, and upheld the first-instance verdict given by Qingdao Intermediate People's Court in March last year, which sentenced Wang to death for arson and provocation.
The court also upheld the life sentences given to two other defendants including Du Qunshan, head of Dujiatuan Village, Pingdu County.
The appeals for leniency of another four defendants, who received prison terms ranging from six to 19 years, were also rejected.
According to the court, a tent, which was being used by villagers trying to stop their land being seized by developers in Dujiatuan, went up in flames in March 2014.
Du and Wang attempted to force the villagers to leave by setting fire to the tent. Ordered by Wang, three of the defendants, all of whom were wielding knives, poured gasoline over the tent and set it on fire.
The case attracted a large amount of public attention in China and renewed people's concern over land disputes.
