Online celebrity under criminal detention in South China
A poster of the film the Battle at Lake Changjin.
Luo Changping, an online celebrity and senior journalist who satirized and humiliated the Chinese People’s Volunteers (CPVs) martyrs on his Sina Weibo account, was put under criminal detention by the Jiyang public security bureau in Sanya of Hainan Province on Friday.
On October 7, the bureau received a tip from the public on a netizen surnamed Luo making illegal remarks to humiliate CPVs on Sina Weibo and has caused baneful influence. The Jiyang branch of Sanya public security bureau summoned Luo, 40-year-old resident from Changsha of Hunan Province, in accordance with laws and investigated the case, according to a release from the Jiyang branch on Friday.
Luo confessed his illegal activities and was put under criminal detention for allegedly violating heroes and martyrs’ dignity and fame. The investigation is ongoing, said the release.
The Sanya Suburban People’s Procuratorate released a notice on Friday that as Luo’s remarks severely violated public interests, it decided to file charges against Luo.
Luo, who has more than 2 million followers on Sina Weibo, posted humiliating remarks on CPVs when joining in some netizens’ discussions over the newly-released movie The Battle at Lake Changjin, which tells the story of how CPVs soldiers held their ground amid fierce cold and the enemy’s more advanced weapons during the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-53).
He used puns to humiliate CPVs stationed in their positions and were frozen to death when performing tasks. Such move angered many Chinese netizens who went to report his illegal activities to Sina Weibo. Luo’s account was later banned.
China’s top judicial authorities have added 22 clauses, including defaming martyrs, attacking police and disturbing the operations of public transportation, to the Criminal Law in a supplementary regulation that took effect in February.
According to the supplementary, those who insult, slander or otherwise infringe upon the reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years or criminal detention if the circumstances are serious.
Heroes and martyrs are not allowed to be insulted. The internet is not a land beyond law. The public security institutions will crack down on those who insult, infringe or slander their honor. Netizens should also abide by the laws to create better cyber environment, according to the Jiyang branch’s release.
On the same day, Sina Weibo released a notice and said that the platform has shut down Luo’s account for his remarks. The platform takes zero tolerance on all activities that defame heroes and martyrs.
