According to a judgment issued by the Ningling County People's Court in January 2017 (translated below) a defendant, identified only as "Mr. Yu,” was sentenced to six months imprisonment for using Tencent’s Wechat service (also known as Weixin) to "fabricate facts, defame state leaders, and create a malicious influence." Mr. Yu was convicted of defamation. The court did not specify what Mr. Yu posted, but it did say that it “involved statements that defamed Comrade Chairman Xi Jinping.”
The original decision is available on the court's website here: http://wenshu.court.gov.cn/content/content?DocID=3f0bf0a4-4077-4d28-8fba-a70d01576338
Public Prosecutorial Agency Ninling County People's Procuratorate.
Defendant Mr. Yu, male, born January 12, 29189, Han, middle school education, farmer, residing in Ningling County, Henan Province. Subject to criminal detention on July 28, 2016, by the Ningling County Public Security Bureau on suspicion of committing the crime of defamation. Granted bail by the Ningling County Public Security Bureau on August 9, 2016. Released on bail by the Ninling County People's Procuratorate on December 24, 2016. Arrested on January 11, 2017 by order of this court, and the Ningling County Public Security Bureau executed the arrest on the same day.
In the Public Prosecution Indictment Document No. 330[2016] the Jinzhou Municipal People's Procuratorate charged the defendant Mr. Yu with the crime of defamation, and filed an indictment with this court. This court conducted a single adjudication using expedited procedures and held a hearing in open court. The Ningling County People's Procuratorate assigned Procurator Ning Xindong to appear in court in support of the indictment, and the defendant Mr. Yu appeared in court to participate in the trial. Hearings have now concluded.
Ningling County People's Procuratorate charged: at 2:24 on July 28, 2016, the defendant Mr. Yu was at his home at No. 1, Wangxiaojing Hutong No. 52, Chengguan Township, Ningling County. There he used his Wechat account to make several posts in the Wechat group "Yaping Yapai Technology Exchange and Sharing Group" that involved statements that defamed Comrade Chairman Xi Jinping. As proof of these foregoing facts the public prosecutorial agency submitted the defendants deposition and pleadings, documentary evidence, investigation records, and other evidence.
The public prosecutorial agency believes that the defendant Mr. Yu fabricated facts, defamed state leaders, created a malicious influence, and that his actions violated Article 246 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China, and that he should be held criminally liable for defamation. They have asked this court to rule accordingly.
The defendant Mr. Xu did not refute the foregoing criminal fact as charged, was penitent, and asked that he be punished lightly.
This court's findings of fact are consistent with the criminal facts charged by the public prosecutorial agency.
The foregoing facts have been proven and determined to be acceptable based on the defendant Mr. Yu's household registration an investigation into his criminal record, other evidentiary proof such as as the investigation records and photographs and the defendant Mr. Yu's confession record.
This court finds that the defendant Mr. Yu fabricated facts, defamed state leaders, created a malicious influence, and that his actions constitute the crime of defamation. The crime charged by the public prosecutorial agency is established and is upheld by this court. In light of the circumstances of defendant Mr. Yu's candid confession, he is eligible for a lighter punishment. In accordance with Articles 246(1), 246(2), and 67(3) of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China, it is hereby held:
Defendant Mr. Yu is guilty of the crime of defamation, and is sentenced to six months imprisonment. The sentence is to be calculated from the date of execution of this judgment, with the sentence to be reduced by one day for each day that she was in custody prior to the execution of this judgment. Therefore it shall run from January 11, 2017 to June 27, 2017.
If he does not agree with this judgment he may appeal to this court or directly to the Shangqiu Municipal Intermediate People's Court within 10 after the day after receiving this judgment. Written appeals should be submitted with one original and two copies.
Judicial Officer Wang Shouliang
January 12, 2017
Clerk Wang Zhen
公诉机关宁陵县人民检察院。
被告人余某某，男，1989年1月12日出生，汉族，初中文化，农民，住河南省宁陵县。因涉嫌犯诽谤罪于2016年7月28日被宁陵县公安局刑事拘留，于2016年8月9日被宁陵县公安局取保候审。2016年12月14日经宁陵县人民检察院决定取保候审。2017年1月6日经本院决定取保候审。2017年1月11日经本院决定逮捕，同日由宁陵县公安局执行逮捕。
宁陵县人民检察院以宁检刑诉（2016）330号起诉书指控被告人余某某犯诽谤罪，向本院提起公诉。本院依法适用简易程序，实行独任审判，公开开庭审理了本案。宁陵县人民检察院指派检察员宁新东出庭支持公诉，被告人余某某到庭参加诉讼。现已审理终结。
宁陵县人民检察院指控：2016年7月28日2时24分，被告人余某某在宁陵县城关镇王小井胡同52号附1号家中，使用其微信号在微信群“压屏压排技术交流共享群”里发布多条涉及国家主席习近平同志诽谤言论。公诉机关为证明上述事实，向本院提交了被告人的供述与辩解、书证、检查笔录等证据证实。
公诉机关认为，被告人余某某捏造事实，诽谤国家领导人，造成恶劣影响，其行为已触犯了《中华人民共和国刑法》第二百四十六条第二款之规定，应以诽谤罪追究其刑事责任。诉请依法判处。
被告人余某某对上述指控犯罪事实、罪名无异议，表示悔罪，请求从轻处罚。
本院经审理查明的事实与公诉机关指控的犯罪事实一致。
上述事实，有被告人余某某的人口户籍证明、前科查询证明，检查笔录及照片，被告人余某某供述笔录等证据证实，足以认定。
本院认为，被告人余某某捏造事实，诽谤国家领导人，造成恶劣影响，其行为已构成诽谤罪。公诉机关指控罪名成立，本院予以支持。被告人余某某有坦白情节，可对其从轻处罚。依照《中华人民共和国刑法》第二百四十六条第一款、第二款，第六十七条第三款之规定，判决如下：
被告人余某某犯诽谤罪，判处有期徒刑六个月。
（刑期从判决执行之日起计算，判决执行以前先行羁押的，羁押一日折抵刑期一日，即自2017年1月11日起至2017年6月27日止）。
如不服本判决，可在接到判决书的第二日起十日内，通过本院或者直接向河南省商丘市中级人民法院提出上诉。书面上诉的，应当提交上诉状正本一份，副本二份。
审判员 王守亮
二〇一七年一月十二日
书记员 王 振
The original decision is available on the court's website here: http://wenshu.court.gov.cn/content/content?DocID=3f0bf0a4-4077-4d28-8fba-a70d01576338
Mr. Yu Defamation
Judgment in the Court of First Instance
Ningling County People's Court
Henan Province
Criminal Judgment
(2017) Yu 1423 Criminal First Instance No. 26
Public Prosecutorial Agency Ninling County People's Procuratorate.
Defendant Mr. Yu, male, born January 12, 29189, Han, middle school education, farmer, residing in Ningling County, Henan Province. Subject to criminal detention on July 28, 2016, by the Ningling County Public Security Bureau on suspicion of committing the crime of defamation. Granted bail by the Ningling County Public Security Bureau on August 9, 2016. Released on bail by the Ninling County People's Procuratorate on December 24, 2016. Arrested on January 11, 2017 by order of this court, and the Ningling County Public Security Bureau executed the arrest on the same day.
In the Public Prosecution Indictment Document No. 330[2016] the Jinzhou Municipal People's Procuratorate charged the defendant Mr. Yu with the crime of defamation, and filed an indictment with this court. This court conducted a single adjudication using expedited procedures and held a hearing in open court. The Ningling County People's Procuratorate assigned Procurator Ning Xindong to appear in court in support of the indictment, and the defendant Mr. Yu appeared in court to participate in the trial. Hearings have now concluded.
Ningling County People's Procuratorate charged: at 2:24 on July 28, 2016, the defendant Mr. Yu was at his home at No. 1, Wangxiaojing Hutong No. 52, Chengguan Township, Ningling County. There he used his Wechat account to make several posts in the Wechat group "Yaping Yapai Technology Exchange and Sharing Group" that involved statements that defamed Comrade Chairman Xi Jinping. As proof of these foregoing facts the public prosecutorial agency submitted the defendants deposition and pleadings, documentary evidence, investigation records, and other evidence.
The public prosecutorial agency believes that the defendant Mr. Yu fabricated facts, defamed state leaders, created a malicious influence, and that his actions violated Article 246 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China, and that he should be held criminally liable for defamation. They have asked this court to rule accordingly.
The defendant Mr. Xu did not refute the foregoing criminal fact as charged, was penitent, and asked that he be punished lightly.
This court's findings of fact are consistent with the criminal facts charged by the public prosecutorial agency.
The foregoing facts have been proven and determined to be acceptable based on the defendant Mr. Yu's household registration an investigation into his criminal record, other evidentiary proof such as as the investigation records and photographs and the defendant Mr. Yu's confession record.
This court finds that the defendant Mr. Yu fabricated facts, defamed state leaders, created a malicious influence, and that his actions constitute the crime of defamation. The crime charged by the public prosecutorial agency is established and is upheld by this court. In light of the circumstances of defendant Mr. Yu's candid confession, he is eligible for a lighter punishment. In accordance with Articles 246(1), 246(2), and 67(3) of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China, it is hereby held:
Defendant Mr. Yu is guilty of the crime of defamation, and is sentenced to six months imprisonment. The sentence is to be calculated from the date of execution of this judgment, with the sentence to be reduced by one day for each day that she was in custody prior to the execution of this judgment. Therefore it shall run from January 11, 2017 to June 27, 2017.
If he does not agree with this judgment he may appeal to this court or directly to the Shangqiu Municipal Intermediate People's Court within 10 after the day after receiving this judgment. Written appeals should be submitted with one original and two copies.
Judicial Officer Wang Shouliang
January 12, 2017
Clerk Wang Zhen
余某某诽谤一审刑事判决书
河南省宁陵县人民法院
刑 事 判 决 书
（2017）豫1423刑初26号
公诉机关宁陵县人民检察院。
被告人余某某，男，1989年1月12日出生，汉族，初中文化，农民，住河南省宁陵县。因涉嫌犯诽谤罪于2016年7月28日被宁陵县公安局刑事拘留，于2016年8月9日被宁陵县公安局取保候审。2016年12月14日经宁陵县人民检察院决定取保候审。2017年1月6日经本院决定取保候审。2017年1月11日经本院决定逮捕，同日由宁陵县公安局执行逮捕。
宁陵县人民检察院以宁检刑诉（2016）330号起诉书指控被告人余某某犯诽谤罪，向本院提起公诉。本院依法适用简易程序，实行独任审判，公开开庭审理了本案。宁陵县人民检察院指派检察员宁新东出庭支持公诉，被告人余某某到庭参加诉讼。现已审理终结。
宁陵县人民检察院指控：2016年7月28日2时24分，被告人余某某在宁陵县城关镇王小井胡同52号附1号家中，使用其微信号在微信群“压屏压排技术交流共享群”里发布多条涉及国家主席习近平同志诽谤言论。公诉机关为证明上述事实，向本院提交了被告人的供述与辩解、书证、检查笔录等证据证实。
公诉机关认为，被告人余某某捏造事实，诽谤国家领导人，造成恶劣影响，其行为已触犯了《中华人民共和国刑法》第二百四十六条第二款之规定，应以诽谤罪追究其刑事责任。诉请依法判处。
被告人余某某对上述指控犯罪事实、罪名无异议，表示悔罪，请求从轻处罚。
本院经审理查明的事实与公诉机关指控的犯罪事实一致。
上述事实，有被告人余某某的人口户籍证明、前科查询证明，检查笔录及照片，被告人余某某供述笔录等证据证实，足以认定。
本院认为，被告人余某某捏造事实，诽谤国家领导人，造成恶劣影响，其行为已构成诽谤罪。公诉机关指控罪名成立，本院予以支持。被告人余某某有坦白情节，可对其从轻处罚。依照《中华人民共和国刑法》第二百四十六条第一款、第二款，第六十七条第三款之规定，判决如下：
被告人余某某犯诽谤罪，判处有期徒刑六个月。
（刑期从判决执行之日起计算，判决执行以前先行羁押的，羁押一日折抵刑期一日，即自2017年1月11日起至2017年6月27日止）。
如不服本判决，可在接到判决书的第二日起十日内，通过本院或者直接向河南省商丘市中级人民法院提出上诉。书面上诉的，应当提交上诉状正本一份，副本二份。
审判员 王守亮
二〇一七年一月十二日
书记员 王 振
