Farmer's execution exposes pitfalls of China's urbanisation

Beijing

THE Chinese authorities said on Tuesday that they had executed a farmer convicted of killing a village official after the demolition of the farmer's home, despite months of public outcry in sympathy with the farmer.

The execution of Jia Jinglong, 30, took place in Shijiazhuang, the capital of the northern province of Hebei. He was sentenced to death last November. On Tuesday, he was allowed a brief visit with his family, the state news agency Xinhua reported.

While Jia's trial had focused on the brutal nature of the crime - he was found guilty of killing the official, He Jianhua, by shooting him in the back of the head with a nail gun - it was the demolition of Jia's home that stirred anger among a public that saw it as yet another governm…