Kris Wu denounced by China’s leading performing arts association after being formally charged with rape
- The China Association of Performing Arts has called for boycotts of stars who break the law
- Wu was formally charged late on Monday night after being detained last month following allegations he raped a teenager
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Chinese-Canadian rapper and singer Kris Wu Yifan is awaiting prosecution and if convicted could serve three to 10 years or more in prison.
After the late-night announcement of Wu’s formal arrest, the China Association of Performing Arts, which is under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, issued a statement on Weibo calling for the industry to boycott Wu, as well as for other stars and agencies to increase their legal awareness and moral standards.
“As an arts performer, he did not use his work to advertise Chinese culture, as a public figure he overlooked his social responsibilities and values, as a ‘top star’ with a huge fan base, he broke a legal bottom line and created irretrievable social impact, the industry cannot tolerate such figure,” the notice claimed.
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Pop star Kris Wu detained by police in China over rape allegations
Chinese law allows a maximum detention period of 37 days for criminal investigation before a formal arrest and charges must be laid or the suspect has to be released.
Ge Ang, a Shanghai-based lawyer from the Yingke Law Firm, told the South China Morning Post that under China’s criminal law and prosecution regulations, a formal arrest without bail is usually granted under three conditions — clear evidence of a crime, a conviction is considered likely, and there is concern the accused may present a danger to the community.
Next, the police will have three months to investigate during the custody period, before they file prosecution recommendations and evidence to the procuratorate. If prosecutors believe a prosecution is achievable, they will submit the files to court, Ge said.
According to Chinese law, those who use violence, threats or other means to rape women can be sentenced to between three and 10 years. The sentence may be harsher and can even include the death penalty if there are minors involved or serious injuries are caused.
Since Du’s allegations spread on Chinese social media, Wu has lost lucrative deals with major brands, including Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, L’Oreal Men and Porsche.
