Thousands watch as Chinese criminals are sentenced and executed

The public sentencing rally took place at a sports stadium in Lufeng's Donghai town at 9:30am

Officials had informed the residents to come and watch the event via a notice but 
Chinese media have called the sentencing rally 'inhumane' and 'insulting'

10 criminals, who were convicted drug dealers, murderers and robbers, were sentenced to death in front of thousands of people including children on Saturday.  The criminals were then executed immediately at an execution ground in Lufeng, southern China's Guangdong Province.

The local legal authority hoped the rally could help educate the public against committing crimes.

It's understood that the verdicts and sentences for the criminals had already been made prior to the rally and the judge simply announced them to the masses.

A total of 12 people received their sentences on the day from the Shanwei Intermediate People's Court and Lufeng People's Court. 

The local authority hoped the rally could help educate the public against committing crimes 

A breakdown of the 10 people executed revealed that seven of them were drug dealers and the others were convicted of murdering and robbery. 

A video of the rally on Chinese news site 163.com shows a judge announcing the criminals' crimes and punishment in front of thousands of residents, including uniformed students.

The criminals were then taken out of the stadium one by one on the court's vehicles as the crowd watched.

According to local news site Lufengshi.net, the Lufeng People's Court issued a public notice on December 12, informing the residents to come and join the rally. 

Prior to Saturday's rally, courts in Guangdong had organised two similar events in the space of six months.