Image source,Zhengguan video
Recently, a video of four people being escorted to “paradise the public” circulated on the Chinese Internet. Many people in the video were wearing protective clothing with large photos on their chests, which triggered heated discussions among netizens.
The incident occurred in Jingxi City under the jurisdiction of Baise City, Guangxi. Zhengguan News sponsored by Zhengzhou Press Group quoted Guangxi Jingxi Public Security Bureau as saying that it was carrying out a “ten all” on-site disciplinary warning activities for criminals involved in smuggling and smuggling. Four escorted persons were suspected of transporting others to cross the country. (Border) border crime.
“Guangxi Daily” reported that at 8 a.m. that day, a car with banners slogans “Severely punish border crimes and maintain border harmony and stability” and “Jingxi City 2021 Border Cases On-site Punishment Activities”, carrying 8 police escorts The four open-top punishment publicity vehicles suspected of transporting others to cross the border of the country (frontier) departed from the urban area and drove to the scene of the punishment activities.
The report also stated that through this disciplinary action, “effectively deterring border crimes, and further enhancing the masses’ awareness of anti-smuggling, anti-smuggling, and conscious compliance with epidemic prevention and control”.
In response to all kinds of criticism from the outside world on this matter, the Jingxi City Public Security Bureau and the Anning Township Government responded that this was an on-site disciplinary warning activity, which was punished as required and there was nothing inappropriate.
Huge controversy
This incident sparked a huge controversy on the Internet, and many netizens recalled the “walking in the streets” during the Chinese Cultural Revolution.
Weibo netizen “Qing Zhonggui” said: “Guangxi Baise Jingxi’s practice of escorting the’walking to the public’ is very wrong. Even those who violate the law have basic personal rights and personal dignity. Illegal and criminal acts should be dealt with in accordance with the law. It is even severely punished. The practice of “walking in the streets” is a bad practice in the turbulent era that once caused great harm to the country and the people.
However, some netizens believe that it is not undesirable for these people to endanger the epidemic prevention.
“It’s light to show the crowd in the street. People who think it’s wrong don’t have a backache when standing and talking. You should come to Jingxi border to do epidemic prevention work! Guard the border!” said Weibo netizen “AndyLeung33”.
During the Cultural Revolution, similar public humiliations were often seen in China, but such practices have been quite rare in recent years.
Jingxi’s actions have aroused criticism from the state media Xinhua Newspaper.com.
“Under the situation of scientific legislation, strict law enforcement, fair justice, and law-abiding by the whole people, some law enforcement agencies and personnel in Jingxi City are still stuck in the old governance thinking, which is surprising.” The comment said, “This kind of trampling and sabotage Acts of law not only dust the rule of law, but also shame modern civilization.”
The official “Beijing News” published an article saying that even for the purpose of preventing the epidemic, it is impossible to allow “paradise to show the crowd”, which violates the spirit of governing the country according to law, to reappear. The article stated that as early as 1988, the Supreme Law, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate and the Ministry of Public Security had issued the “Notice on Resolutely Stopping the Parade of Convicted and Undecided Criminals.” , Other convicted criminals, undecided criminals, and all those who violate the law are also not allowed to parade or show the public. This is true for death row prisoners, let alone other types of suspects.
Jiupai News quoted Lantian Bin, a partner of Jiangsu Fa-De Dongheng Law Firm, as saying that the suspected illegal acts of crossing the border and smuggling should be severely cracked down. However, the current penalties and methods of laws and regulations do not include “walking in the streets.”
Lan Lanbin also stated that in 2007, China issued the “Opinions on Further Strictly Handling Cases According to Law to Ensure the Quality of Handling Death Penalty Cases”, prohibiting “walking in the street” or other behaviors that degraded the personality of the person being executed.
He said that even for prisoners on death row, “parading in the street” is prohibited; relatively minor crimes and illegal acts cannot be “paraded in the street.”