The Chinese researcher, who caused a global scandal last year when he announced that he managed to give birth to the first genetically modified human babies, was sentenced to three years in prison, the Chinese state news agency New China reported.
He was also fined 3 million yuan (about 384.000 euros), according to the same source.
He Jianqui announced in November 2018 that he had given birth to twin girls with modified DNA that made them vulnerable to AIDS; their father was a carrier of the HIV virus. The Chinese authorities, who were then accused of being too lax about this kind of scientific activity, ordered an immediate end to any such investigation and announced that a police investigation would be launched.
He was convicted today by a court in Shenzhen, the metropolis of southern China, of conducting his research because he "illegally genetically modified embryos for reproduction," New China reported.
The agency noted that three genetically modified babies were born based on the scientist's research.
Chinese authorities had confirmed in January 2019 that a second woman was pregnant with another genetically modified fetus, in addition to the twins, but the birth of this child had not been confirmed until today.
He, a former assistant professor at the Southern University of Science and Technology, and two other scientists have been convicted of illegal medical practices and violating the rules and ethics of the Chinese scientific community, the New China News Agency reported.