A Beijing blogger has become the first to be arrested under last September's regulations cracking down on so-called "internet rumours".
The regulations state that Chinese internet users may face three years in prison for writing disparaging messages that are re-posted 500 times or more, or viewed more than 5,000 times.
While hundreds have reportedly been detained under the regulations, state media reported that 30 year old Qin Zhihu was the first to be arrested, receiving a prison sentence of three years for having “impacted society and seriously harmed social order" according to a Beijing prosecutor. According to Xinhua, Qin had posted a series of false reports on his Sina Weibo including one claiming that the capital had paid 2 million yuan ($321,500) in compensation to a foreigner killed in a train crash in the country. Qin also pleaded guilty to organising a “black PR” firm, which took money from companies to post damaging comments online about rivals.
The first to be detained under the law was 16 year old Yang Hui (pseudonym) in September who was released without charge after a week.
In a separate case, 60 year old outspoken government critic Charles Xue was released on bail on Wednesday after authorities decided he “no longer posed a danger to the public". The Chinese-American blogger who attracts 12 million viewers on his Weibo, was arrested in August after suspected involvement in prostitution and “group licentiousness” (read: group sex). Xue made a public apology on state TV.
China has defended the internet crackdown as a way of maintaining social order, but some have criticised Beijing for limiting freedom of speech to protect the ruling party.
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