Editing Internet censorship in China (section)

===Arrests===
Fines and short arrests are becoming an optional punishment to whoever spreads undesirable information through the different Internet formats, as this is seen as a risk to social stability.<ref>[http://www.nbcmontana.com/technology/29274549/detail.html Social Media To Curb 'Rumors' In China] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329113937/http://www.nbcmontana.com/technology/29274549/detail.html |date=29 March 2012 }} , by Jaime FlorCruz and Tian Shao, CNN, 22 September 2011</ref>

In 2001, [[Wang Xiaoning]] and other Chinese activists were arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison for using a [[Yahoo!]] email account to post anonymous writing to an Internet mailing list.<ref>Cohn, William. "Yahoo's China Defense." New Presence: The Prague Journal of European Affairs September 2007: 10.2.</ref> On 23 July 2008, the family of Liu Shaokun was notified that he had been sentenced to one year [[re-education through labor]] for "inciting a disturbance". As a teacher in Sichuan province, he had taken photographs of collapsed schools and posted these photos online.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSPEK105816 China Quake School Critic Receives One-Year Sentence-Group] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007152932/http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSPEK105816 |date=7 October 2009 }} , Reuters, 30 July 2008</ref> On 18 July 2008, Huang Qi was formally arrested on suspicion of illegally possessing state secrets. Huang had spoken with the foreign press and posted information on his website about the plight of parents who had lost children in collapsed schools.<ref>[http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/63525 Case Update: Detained Rights Activist Huang Qi Formally Arrested] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015131222/http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/63525 |date=15 October 2008 }} , HRIC, 18 July 2008; Jake Hooker, [http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/11/asia/11china.php Voice seeking answers for parents about school collapse in China is silenced] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080802011307/http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/11/asia/11china.php |date=2 August 2008 }} , International Herald Tribune, 11 July 2008; [http://hrichina.org/public/contents/56586 HRIC Press Release: Rights Activist Huang Qi Detained on Suspicion of Holding State Secrets] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090108235114/http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/56586 |date=8 January 2009 }} , 16 June 2008</ref> Shi Tao, a Chinese journalist, used his Yahoo! email account to send a message to a U.S.-based pro-democracy website. In his email, he summarized a government order directing media organizations in China to downplay the upcoming 15th anniversary of the 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy activists. Police arrested him in November 2004, charging him with "illegally providing state secrets to foreign entities". In April 2005, he was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment and two years' subsequent deprivation of his political rights.<ref>[http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/cases/china-shi-tao Imprisoned for Peaceful Expression] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120602231331/http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/cases/china-shi-tao |date=2 June 2012 }} , Amnesty International</ref>

In mid-2013 police across China arrested hundreds of people accused of spreading false rumors online. The arrest targeted [[microbloggers]] who accused CCP officials of corruption, venality, and sexual escapades. The crackdown was intended to disrupt online networks of like-minded people whose ideas could challenge the authority of the CCP{{According to whom|date=August 2020}}. Some of China's most popular microbloggers{{Who|date=August 2020}} were arrested. In September 2013, China's highest court and prosecution office issued guidelines that define and outline penalties for publishing online rumors and slander. The rules give some protection to citizens who accuse officials of corruption, but a slanderous message forwarded more than 500 times or read more than 5,000 times could result in up to three years in prison.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/11/world/asia/china-cracks-down-on-online-opinion-makers.html?pagewanted=2&_r=0&hp "China Mounts Vigorous Crackdown on Popular Online Opinion Makers"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170403083529/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/11/world/asia/china-cracks-down-on-online-opinion-makers.html?pagewanted=2&_r=0&hp |date=3 April 2017 }} , Chris Buckley, ''New York Times'', 10 September 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2013.</ref>

In 2017, a Uyghur university student at [[Xinjiang University]], Mehmut Memtimin, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for using a VPN.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Masing |first=Kent |date=2023-06-09 |title=Uyghur Student Jailed For 13 Years For Using VPN; Chinese Citizens Get Away With It |url=https://www.ibtimes.com/uyghur-student-jailed-13-years-using-vpn-chinese-citizens-get-away-it-3698837 |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=[[International Business Times]] |language=en-US |archive-date=11 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240711002045/https://www.ibtimes.com/uyghur-student-jailed-13-years-using-vpn-chinese-citizens-get-away-it-3698837 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 8, 2023 |title=Uyghur university student serving 13-year sentence for using VPN |url=https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/student-sentenced-06082023154805.html |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=[[Radio Free Asia]] |language=en}}</ref>

According to the 2020 [[Press Freedom Index|World Press Freedom Index]], compiled by [[Reporters Without Borders]], China is the world's biggest jailer of journalists, holding around 100 in detention. In February 2020, China arrested two of its citizens for taking it upon themselves to cover the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://rsf.org/en/2020-world-press-freedom-index-entering-decisive-decade-journalism-exacerbated-coronavirus |title=2020 World Press Freedom Index: "Entering a decisive decade for journalism, exacerbated by coronavirus" |date=19 April 2020 |access-date=24 July 2020 |archive-date=27 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527115329/https://rsf.org/en/2020-world-press-freedom-index-entering-decisive-decade-journalism-exacerbated-coronavirus |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=August 2020}}

On 10 May 2021 blogger [[Ruan Xiaohuan]] was arrested by the [[Shanghai]] police.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Wang |first=Vivian |date=2023-07-05 |title=China Took Her Husband. She Was Left to Uncover His Secret Cause. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/05/world/asia/china-dissident-blog-program-think.html |access-date=2023-07-21 |website=The New York Times |language=en-US |archive-date=21 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721020513/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/05/world/asia/china-dissident-blog-program-think.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He was convicted of "[[inciting subversion of state power]]" for his blog, ''ProgramThink'', which was critical of the regime.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gullo |first=Karen |date=2023-06-09 |title=China Must Release Program Think Blogger Ruan Xiaohuan, Champion of Free Expression Who Spoke Out Against Censorship and Oppression |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/06/china-must-release-program-think-blogger-ruan-xiaohuan-champion-free-expression |access-date=2023-07-21 |website=Electronic Frontier Foundation |language=en |archive-date=15 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230615102952/https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/06/china-must-release-program-think-blogger-ruan-xiaohuan-champion-free-expression |url-status=live }}</ref> His wife, Bei Zhenying, was apparently warned by authorities against discussing the case.<ref name=":2" />