A Chinese blogger has
reportedly become the first person to be charged under a newly amended
law outlawing the defamation of China's heroes and martyrs. The blogger
named Qiu Ziming, 38 was formally arrested by police in Nanjing, capital
of China's coastal province of Jiangsu, on Monday, 1st March as it
announced charges against him. The amended 2018 act came into effect the
same day after China’s top judicial authorities added the new clause in
it.
“According to the supplementary articles,
Qiu’s infringement of the reputation and honour of heroes shall be
punished with a fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years or
criminal detention if the circumstances are serious,” the state media
reported.
Qiu was detained by police on February 20 after he made two posts
reportedly giving differing views than the official narrative on Galwan
valley casualties. His posts were considered illegal on account of
harming the reputation and honour of heroes and martyrs. The Chinese
government on Monday telecast a video of Qiu apologizing for slandering
PLA soldiers, involved in the deadly brawl against the Indian army at
Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh last June, on state-TV. In the
one-minute long video played during a prime time news programme, his
face was blurred out and he was seen sitting behind bars in prison
clothes.
Weibo, a Twitter like Chinese
microblogging platform, announced it had suspended Qiu's account, which
had 2.5 million followers, for one year. Chinese government arrested or
detained seven, including Qiu, for insulting PLA heroes and martyrs.
Social media is bold.
Social media is young.
Social media raises questions.
Social media is not satisfied with an answer.
Social media looks at the big picture.
Social media is interested in every detail.
social media is curious.
Social media is free.
Social media is irreplaceable.
But never irrelevant.
Social media is you.
(With input from news agency language)
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