Top court protects heroes, martyrs

Guidelines issued ahead of Army Day highlight support for soldiers' welfare

The Supreme People's Court has directed courts nationwide to support high-quality military development by continuing to give strong protection to heroes and martyrs, with severe punishment for those who violate legitimate rights and interests.

The requirement was reiterated by China's top court ahead of Army Day, which falls on Thursday. It gave details of five cases to show that a fair and efficient judiciary resolutely safeguards the interests of national defense and the rights of soldiers and their families.

In one case, prosecutors initiated public-interest litigation against a man surnamed Zeng after finding that he spread untrue and improper comments about the deeds of People's Liberation Army border guards in defending Chinese territory in a WeChat group with more than 200 members in February 2021.