POLITICIANS introduced amendments to China’s nascent civil code to make defaming “heroes and martyrs” of the ruling Communist Party a civil offence, as the leadership moves to strengthen its grasp on the history of the People’s Republic.

(Article republished from Express.co.uk)

China’s ongoing National People’s Congress (NPC), an annual meeting of some 3,000 delegates, is currently debating general rules for a civil code. The rules are expected to be passed by the event’s close this Wednesday.

Delegates made 126 changes to the most recent draft of the rules, released on March 8, which will serve as a preamble to the final code, expected in 2020, state media said.

Chinese politicians have made it illegal to insult ‘heroes and martyrs’ of the Communist Party

One addition is the line: “Encroaching upon the name, portrait, reputation and honour of heroes and martyrs harms the public interest, and should bear civil liability.”The deeds of revolutionary heroes and sacrifices of military martyrs are central to the Party’s legitimacy, much of which is based on claims of great historic achievements, such as defeating Japan during the Second World War.

Read more at: Express.co.uk