Xinjiang text messaging: spreading rumors and criminal detention

Not long after partial Internet was restored to Xinjiang, and text messaging was restored on January 17, a report emerged about criminal detentions of different people using text message to spread “harmful” information, affecting ethnic unity.

Xinjiang Tianshannet (新疆天山网) reports:

After January, the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region has seen a gradual recovery of the Internet and text messaging, as well as international communication services, giving different ethnic groups convenient methods for communication. But there has also been individuals who have used mobiles to make up and spread harmful information on purpose, and to a certain extent create social unrest, affecting social stability and ethnic unity. In recent days, the Public Security department has repeatedly received reports by ordinary people and has found cases where mobile phones are used to write and spread harmful information, have investigated and prosecuted a group of criminals who went against the law.

On January 17th, Ma XX sent text messages with content about splitting the country to numerous mobile phones. After sending the text message, he received a notice from China Telecom rejecting the spread of harmful information. But Ma XX did not take note and continued to send text messages to other people containing writing about splitting the country. The Public Security department, after receiving reports from the masses, quickly caught Ma XX. At present, Ma XX is in criminal detention. The case in being investigated further.

On January 20, An XX sent a text message to his friend lying about the situation of the police, disturbing social security. The Public Security department legally punished this person.

On January 18, the Public Security department caught Zhou XX, an university student who was using mobile phone text messages to spread rumors. Zhou XX candidly confessed writing terrorist messages and spreading it. As he was still a student, the Public Security department, according to the law, gave him a light punishment.

According to the Law of Public Order Management (治安管理处罚法) and the Criminal Law (刑法) any work unit and individual is forbidden from using the Internet to make up rumors, slander, publish and spread harmful information. A person who on purpose disseminates rumors and lies about epidemics and hazards, and police situations to disrupt public order; make up terrorist information, or when they know it’s made-up terrorist information but still disseminates it on purpose, seriously disturbs public order, affects the stability of public order, damages the unity of the people, and will have to take legal responsibility according to the law.

The Autonomous Region’s Public Security office has stated, for using the Internet and tools such as mobile messages to make up and disseminate harmful information, the Public Security department will investigate in full and punish according to the law. At the same time calling for everyone to make a unified and stable Xinjiang, and a good environment of public order needs to be sustained by everyone. They hope that the different ethnic groups and people of different circles will not believe the rumors, will not spread rumors, will not create rumors and use the Internet is a civilized way. They will automatically reject bad mobile messages and when discovering an Internet or mobile message that contains harmful information, will report locally to 110 in a timely fashion.