Chinese celebrity talk-show hostess Yang Lan has apologized for her widely panned defense of Li Guanfeng, a popular military singer's teenage son, accused in a gang rape after serving a year's confinement for assault.
"Is one year of confinement too heavy a punishment for an underage boy? Such a kid is very likely to regard himself as hopeless and act recklessly," she wrote in an Internet post on Saturday night.
Her comments triggered outrage. Netizens said she wanted to shield Li because he is the son of Li Shuangjiang.
Faced with massive condemnation, Yang made a public apology on Sunday. She said she didn't know details of Li Guanfeng's case and made irresponsible remarks. "I'm sorry. Everyone is equal and no one can override laws," she said.
