Do not post, share, or comment images, memes, or remarks that insult heroes and martyrs, nor make jokes about the national flag or anthem.

2. Do not post, share, or comment images, memes, or remarks that insult heroes and martyrs, nor make jokes about the national flag or anthem.

Cost: No cost at all. There is absolutely no need to comment on, edit, or forward any content related to heroes, martyrs, the national flag, emblem, or anthem. The real difficulty lies in resisting the urge to join in when someone else makes a joke in a group chat.

In plain terms: Making jokes about heroes, martyrs, the national flag, or anthem can lead to a detention period of 5 to 10 days, or a fine ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 yuan for minor violations. More serious cases result in 10 to 15 days of detention. If the act constitutes a crime, the offender faces up to 3 years in prison. In one case, a person posted two remarks defaming Yuan Longping in a WeChat group with 499 villagers; they were sentenced to 6 months of control, a penalty that restricts their movements without requiring imprisonment.

Benefit: Those who insult, slander, or fabricate false information about heroes and martyrs, thereby harming their names, portraits, reputations, or honors and infringing on public interests, face the same penalties as above: 5 to 10 days of detention or a fine of 1,000 to 3,000 yuan. The same penalties apply to anyone who distorts or denies the deeds and spirit of heroes, or spreads content glorifying aggressive wars. For more serious violations, the penalty is 10 to 15 days of detention plus a fine of up to 5,000 yuan. When the offense reaches the level of “serious circumstances”, it becomes a criminal act punishable by up to 3 years in prison. The same maximum sentence applies to anyone who publicly insults the national flag or emblem, or alters or sings the national anthem in a distorted, derogatory manner. Official examples include: Xiao, who posted two defamatory remarks about Yuan Longping in a group chat of 499 villagers, was sentenced to 6 months of control; Qiu, who posted two posts distorting the deeds of border defense soldiers to his over 2.5 million followers on Weibo, was sentenced to 8 months in prison and required to issue a public apology via national media.

Evidence grade: A

Sources: National People's Congress Standing Committee (2025). Public Security Administration Punishment Law (revised in 2025, Article 35). <https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/fl/202506/t20250627_699863.shtml>; National People's Congress Standing Committee (2018). Law on the Protection of Heroes and Martyrs (Articles 22, 26). <https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/gyssshmhsh/201912/t20191202_440079.shtml>; Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (2020). Criminal Law Amendment (11) (Article 35, i.e., Article 299-1 of the Criminal Law). <https://www.spp.gov.cn/zdgz/202012/t20201227_503682.shtml>; National People's Congress (2020). Criminal Law (Amended in accordance with the Criminal Law Amendment (Eleven), Article 299, Article 299-1). <https://jtgl.beijing.gov.cn/jgj/jgxx/flfg/fl/11033925/index.html>; Supreme People's Court of China (2022). Top ten typical cases involving the protection of the rights and interests of heroes and martyrs (Case 2, Case 3). <https://www.court.gov.cn/zixun/xiangqing/382301.html>

Notes: This provision was added to the Law on Public Security Administration Punishments only in its 2025 revision. Prior to that, such violations could only be addressed under criminal law or through civil public interest litigation initiated by procuratorial authorities. A WeChat group with several hundred members is considered a public setting under judicial interpretation.