China's Top Court Exonerates Man 21 Years After Execution

Zhang Huanzhi, the mother of Nie Shubin, who was sentenced to death and executed 21 years ago, talks to the media after her son was found not guilty by the Supreme People's Court on Friday. Photo: Guo Xianzhong/Caixin

(Beijing) — More than two decades after a young man from north China's Hebei province was executed for rape and murder, the Supreme People's Court overturned his conviction on Friday in a landmark case that has exposed flaws in China's criminal justice system.

The court concluded Nie Shubin's original trial 21 years ago lacked "sufficient evidence," saying there were serious inconsistencies between Nie's confession and evidence presented over the time of death, the murder weapon and the cause of death, court paper shows.