Kris Wu’s detainment explained: Canadian star will be tried according to Chinese law if indicted by prosecution

Chinese police detained Kris Wu on July 31st following Du Meizhu’s accusations against the actor for sexual harassment. The actor has denied the allegations made through his agency, following which Du Meizhu moved to file a formal complaint against him.

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Kris Wu has not been arrested but detained; here’s what it means

According to lawyer Zhang Qi Huai, quoted by Chinese media Sina, Kris Wu has been detained by Chaoyang Police because they might have found evidence supporting the complainant’s claims.

Zhang Qi Huai explained that police detain individuals in three cases and explained:

“The police embark an investigation, and they only bring a suspect into custody if in the early stages they determine that a) the individual has broken the law and needs to be punished and/or b) that there is a need to prevent the individual from committing more crimes or bringing any harm to the society and/or c) that there is a need to prevent the individual from possibly fleeing.”

He added:

“Being criminally detained is a form of holding someone in custody, and it is often done in the early stages of a criminal investigation.”

He also explained that a suspect could be detained for up to 12 hours. It is usually at a time in the investigation when the case has grown complex and has gained a form of legitimacy.

“Right now, Kris Wu is actually detained — which signifies that the initial investigation has shown there’s evidence of a crime committed. It could also be to prevent him from fleeing, such as leaving the country or going into hiding so that the investigations and the legal processes can’t be carried out properly. Again, a detainment is only carried out when there is some basic understanding of the truth and evidence of a crime having taken place.”

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Why will Kris Wu’s case be different from other similar cases in the country?

Zhang Qi Huai said that the public interest in the case would influence the outcome to an extent:

“Kris Wu’s case is greatly influenced by the public opinion as he is a celebrity and a prominent public figure in China. The fact that the Chaoyang Police announced this specific development to his case at this time shows that the authorities have been extremely diligent in their investigations — since his case is very complicated.”

He also answered whether Kris Wu’s Canadian citizenship would make a difference to the way his case will be tried in court?

“The short answer is no. If indicted by the prosecution and found guilty, the star will have to serve his punishment out before being deported. He (Kris Wu) will be tried in China according to Chinese laws and could be deported after carrying out his sentence if found guilty.”

The lawyer added:

” In principle, Kris Wu’s national embassy may be notified. There might be some communication when the case goes to court. If his family members are Canadian, they have the right to raise questions through the embassy. But none of this influences the legal process taken by China’s legal authorities. The most they could do is ask whether or not he has been coerced into giving a false confession during the investigation. Otherwise, there’s nothing else they could do. Kris Wu will go through the same legal process and be sentenced as all Chinese citizens do.

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What is expected to happen next in Kris Wu’s case?

Following Kris Wu’s detainment, if further evidence adds to him being guilty, he would be arrested by the police. Following this, the prosecution will indict the Canadian star, and a sentencing will occur after trial.

Zhang Qi Huai explained what took place after the arrest, saying:

“Kris Wu’s case is expected to unfold like this: The prosecutors will indict him, and after the case goes to court, it will take about two months — at most, six months — for the trial and sentencing.”

Zhang also said:

“Kris Wu’s crime is most likely complex. So it could take up to six months, but because there’s a lot of attention on this case, it won’t take too long to hold the trial. They might take extra time to ensure everything about the case and the investigations are transparent and then reach a verdict.”

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If found guilty, what is the possible punishment that Kris Wu would face?

Another lawyer, Yan Xu, commented on this question in the same report translated by Koreaboo and said that the actor might face anything between 10 years in prison or a lifetime.