Phoenix Investigation Agency: Chinese web users face prison for re-posted rumours

From Wikichords

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Current revision as of 12:54, 6 October 2013

Authorities from China's Supreme People's Court and Procuratorate issued on Monday a judicial interpretation, the country's first nationwide ruling of its kind, that effectively targets defamation posted and spread on the Internet. Essentially a means to curb free speech in China.

A judicial interpretation is the equivalent of a Supreme Court ruling under Chinese rules. It carries great weight, according to the Los Angeles Times.

"In recent years, the Internet has been used to maliciously fabricate facts and damage the reputation of others ... and to concoct rumors that mislead the people, causing serious disruptions of social order and even mass incidents," Sun Jungong, a Supreme Court spokesman, said in a statement that was read live on television.

"People have been hurt and reaction in society has been strong, demanding with one voice serious punishment by the law for criminal activities like using the internet to spread rumors and defame people," Sun Jungong told reporters. "No country would consider the slander of other people as 'freedom of speech.'"

Chinese netizens who spread and share false information that defames or affects national interest face a maximum three years imprisonment if their posts are viewed 5,000 times or are forwarded, retweeted or reposted 500 times.

Phoenix Cyber Investigation Agency

In a commentary, state news agency Xinhua stressed the rules only target netizens who sought to defame and blackmail others online.

"These cases have done greater social harm than traditional offenses, with some even disrupting social order and triggering unrest," the agency wrote.

"Greater responsibility necessary for greater freedom online," it stressed in one of its recent editorial.

As expected, free speech advocated immediately threw flak to the new ruling.