Upto 3-year imprisonment for disrespecting anthem: China

The Chinese legislature passed an amendment on Saturday which stated that anyone disrespecting Chinese national anthem will be taken to task.

The StanpassedCommittee of the National People's Congress informed the country's criminal lawthat any 'serious' disregard would lead to upto three years in jail, after increased nationalist demands fromthe ruling Communist Party led by President Xi Jinping.

According to China's officials, the amendment was passed in Bejing on Saturday, stated further punishments such as detention and elimination of political rights.

These penalties have also been in practice with regards to any violation of the national flag and emblem in public, the officials further reported.

FIFA, the sports governing organisation, have previously fined soccer fans in Hong Kong after they were found mocking China's national anthem during games with home teams.

The National Anthem Law came into practice in October, declared that playing the anthem on occasions stated inappropriate, including funerals, using different words or paying disregard in any manner would lead to 15 days detention, according to reports.

Xinhua cited Zhang Rongshun, deputy director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the top parliamentary body, claimed that it was'urgent and important'to declare anthem law in Hong Kong to due to recent events.

“In recent years, incidents of disrespecting the national anthem had occurred in Hong Kong, challenging the bottom line of the principle of `one country, two systems’ and social morality, and triggering rage among Chinese, including most Hong Kong residents,” Zhang told sources.

China’s legislature adopted a decision to include the law in Hong Kong’s and Macau’s mini-constitution, known in each territory as the Basic Law.