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China Prosecutes Blogger for Comments on Soldiers Killed in Border Conflict With India

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A Chinese blogger from Nanjing in eastern Chinese Jiangsu province was officially arrested on Monday for posting negative comments about the People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers who died last summer during the border conflict with India, the local prosecutor's office said.
Sputnik

According to a statement from the prosecutor's office in Nanjing, prosecutors officially approved the arrest of the Chinese blogger, known as Labi Xiaoqiu on Weibo, who was charged with the crime of damaging the reputation of war heroes under Chinese law.

The blogger, who was only identified by his surname Qiu, posted two comments on 19 February that tried to belittle and ridicule the Chinese soldiers who were recognised as war heroes after they died during the border conflict with India last summer, the statement said.

"My actions were the kind of actions that annihilated my conscience. I want to express my extreme remorse and regret," Qiu said during a video interview with Chinese state media on Monday.
China Prosecutes Blogger for Comments on Soldiers Killed in Border Conflict With India

For the first time after the deadly border conflict between China and India last June, Chinese state media released on 19 February more details about casualties of PLA soldiers during the clash.

Four PLA soldiers died and one was seriously injured during the deadly clash, the media report said.

Videos published by Chinese media showed groups of soldiers from both sides engaged in pushing and shoving over a shallow river at the disputed border area. One of the PLA soldiers was seen bleeding heavily from his head while receiving medical assistance from others.

All the deceased and injured PLA soldiers were given national awards to recognise their sacrifice for safeguarding the nation's sovereignty, the media report said. Delhi said at the time that about 20 Indian soldiers were killed during the conflict.

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