"Hangzhou Airport, I am on a flight from Hangzhou to Xuzhou, requesting landing. Reporting my altitude…" On a certain day in May 2016, an aircraft preparing to land at Xuzhou Airport was communicating with the control tower. Suddenly, an advertisement for "A family secret recipe for treating kidney deficiency" came through over the radio frequency. The airport was right there, but communication unexpectedly broke down. In this emergency situation, the flight captain urgently switched to a backup frequency, and the incident of a forced diversion was averted. This is not an isolated case; in the same month, aircraft stationed at Xuzhou were undergoing training exercises. Pilots maintained contact with ground command via the communication system. During the training exercise, a sudden message from air-ground command came over the radio: "A family secret recipe for treating kidney deficiency! Amazing effects! 3 courses, guaranteed to cure your illness." The pilot immediately reported to command, "During the training, our aircraft was interfered with by an unidentified signal source."
Both units placed great importance on the incident of unauthorized radio signal intrusion and subsequently filed complaints with the Xuzhou Radio Management Bureau (Xuzhou No. Management). After receiving complaint materials from multiple units, the Xuzhou Radio Management Bureau quickly dispatched a specialized team to investigate the source of the signal interference using mobile radio detection vehicles. Following investigations by Xuzhou No. Management and the Public Security Bureau, it was discovered that Tom, Liu, and Zhou had installed an illegal broadcasting station in a rented apartment, continuously transmitting advertisements for illicit drugs. Specifically, Tom first purchased a "convenient setup, discreet appearance, and remote control" radio transmission device from the internet, and also paid a significant amount online to have multiple audio recordings made, including "doctor-patient communication," "a secret formula passed down through generations of experts," and "treatment for a specific disease." In order to achieve optimal playback effects, Tom researched densely populated county areas in Jiangsu Province. Tom also enlisted the help of his relative, Liu, and invited Zhou to assist with the installation of the equipment (which was an illegal setup). The device's transmission frequency range covered from 76MHz to 122MHz, interfering with the aviation band and covering a radius of over 10km. This actually posed a danger of collisions for aircraft. Investigations revealed that Tom, Liu, and Zhou had installed several "illegal broadcasting stations" in various locations in Xuzhou.
Legal reference: Article 288 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China, first paragraph states that "Violating state regulations by independently establishing or using a radio station (facility), or independently using radio frequencies, disrupting radio communication order, if the circumstances are serious, shall be punished with imprisonment for less than three years, detention, or restriction of personal freedom, and/or a fine; if the circumstances are particularly serious, they shall be sentenced to imprisonment for more than three years but no more than seven years, and also fined."
Article 117 of the "Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China" states: "Anyone who deliberately damages railway tracks, bridges, tunnels, roads, airports, waterways, lighthouses, signs, or engages in other destructive activities that endanger trains, cars, electric vehicles, ships, aircraft, causing them to overturn or be damaged, but without causing serious consequences, shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of more than three years but no more than ten years."
Question:
1. Are Tang, Liu, and Zhou jointly guilty of a crime? If so, please explain how to classify them based on the severity of their respective roles in the crime; if not, please provide your reasoning. (8 points)
2. Regarding the criminal acts of Tang, Liu, and Zhou, should Article 288(1) or Article 117 of the Criminal Law be applied? Please explain your reasoning. (10 points)
3. Can lenient sentences be applied to Tang, Liu, and Zhou? Why or why not? (12 points)