Chinese writer sentenced to 10 years in prison for homoerotic book

perspherspley

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181119092645-chinese-supreme-peoples-court-beijing-file-exlarge-169.jpg

The Chinese Supreme People's Court building in Beijing.

Beijing (CNN)A Chinese novelist has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for writing and distributing homoerotic novels, provoking widespread debate online over the severity of her sentence.

The female writer, surnamed Liu, but more commonly known by her internet pseudonym Tianyi, was arrested in 2017 following the success of her novel "Occupy," according to reports in Chinese state media.

The book was described by police in East China's Anhui Province as depicting "obscene sexual behavior between males" set to themes of "violence, abuse, and humiliation."
Despite being sentenced to 10 years in prison by a court in the city of Wuhu on October 31, Liu's case was brought only recently to nationwide attention after being shared widely online.

The popularity of homoerotic fiction, dubbed "boys love," has soared in recent years in China, where a booming cottage industry of self-published authors churns out hundreds of new titles each month.

Such is the success of the genre, that several titles have been adapted into a film, including last year's popular web series "Guardian." Recently, Chinese internet giant Tencent also looked to capitalize on the trend with the announcement it had acquired two popular titles for adaption online.

Though most titles only hint at homosexual relations and instead feature "bromances," others are more explicit, risking the ire of the country's censors.
Liu was said to have made more than 150,000 yuan ($21,624) through the sale of "Occupy" and other explicit novels.

The production and sale of pornography remain strictly prohibited in China. However, the harsh punishment given to Liu has caused outrage among social media users, many of whom have expressed anger at the apparent discrepancy between her sentence and those given to violent criminals, pointing out that under Chinese criminal law, rapists are liable to receive between three to 10 years.

As of Monday, there were more than 1.7 million posts using the hashtag #Tianyi on Weibo, China's version of Twitter, with the majority of users coming to Liu's defense.
"The author deserves sympathy," posted Li Yinhe, a renowned Chinese sexologist, and sociologist, who has more than two million followers on Weibo. "She did violate criminal law, but even a one-year sentence is too much, not to mention 10 years."

Many users questioned the country's conservative attitude and asked why the government felt the need to police people's private lives.
"This sentence, even for me, who hasn't read any of her works, feels not fair. The attitude of this country toward sex can be only described as 'immature.' (We) ask for commutation!"

Speaking to CNN, Deng Xueping, a lawyer at China's Capital Equity Legal Group, said that the sentence was based on an outdated judicial interpretation of the country's laws dating from 1998.

"When the number of copies exceeds 5,000, the case is deemed as a severe one. So the 10-year imprisonment is based on that," said Deng.
"But things have changed a lot in society ... especially that the internet helps things spread faster than ever ... That's why I think it's worth discussing if the sentence for the case is too heavy. The supreme court might need to reconsider the related judicial interpretation," he added. "The punishments of criminal law should be in proportion to the social impact of the crimes."

Others attributed the judgment to latent prejudice. "If judges think content related to homosexuality and indecency has a baneful impact on the society, they might choose a heavy sentence within the legal range," Lu Xiaoquan, a Beijing-based lawyer, was quoted by the Global Times.

Homosexuality was decriminalized in China in 1997 and was removed from the official list of mental illnesses a few years later. Activists and experts, however, have long argued that prejudices and discrimination -- as well as periodic government crackdowns -- persist.

Source
By Serenitie Wang, CNN
Updated 1603 GMT (0003 HKT) November 19, 2018
 

Hormones

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China is so authoritarian and cruel....it's like an Asian version of Russia, hopeless gov't.
 

perspherspley

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that's messed up to receive such a long sentence while actual sex offenders could be let out after 3 years
It actually screams homophobic, those old fogies are just too old fashion to govern.
 

perspherspley

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China is so authoritarian and cruel....it's like an Asian version of Russia, hopeless gov't.
The Chinese Government is even afraid of Supernatural stuff to the point of censoring anything related to it, and not just this genre, fantasy or any fictional is not allowed since it promotes the unnatural.
 

Kami

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'Many users questioned the country's conservative attitude and asked why the government felt the need to police people's private lives.
"This sentence, even for me, who hasn't read any of her works, feels not fair. The attitude of this country toward sex can be only described as 'immature.' (We) ask for commutation!"


There will be a new revolution inside Mainland China. It's only a matter of time.
 

perspherspley

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'Many users questioned the country's conservative attitude and asked why the government felt the need to police people's private lives.
"This sentence, even for me, who hasn't read any of her works, feels not fair. The attitude of this country toward sex can be only described as 'immature.' (We) ask for commutation!"


There will be a new revolution inside Mainland China. It's only a matter of time.
If only the people of China have the power over their government.
 

Hormones

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The Chinese Government is even afraid of Supernatural stuff to the point of censoring anything related to it, and not just this genre, fantasy or any fictional is not allowed since it promotes the unnatural.

Growing up i always wanted to go to China because it's culture seem so cool and fascinating, but in recent years learning how it's gov't operates...I don't want nothing to do with it...
 

Yukihime

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Oh I remember that. Some of the artists I follow went on a short hiatus and some even had to delete kiss scenes from their webtoons while some wanted to rebel and used a vpn to post "mature" content on twitter.

That's so messed up and unfair and just ... f*ck. I feel so bad for her and her family (and fellow artist/authors). Her whole life was ruined for nothing.

And let's be real if that story was about a straight couple she would be free.

How many popular book relates the story of a girl/woman abused/raped who then fall in love with the perpetrator ? (one of the most popular trope of chinese story these last few years unfortunately)
 

perspherspley

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Oh I remember that. Some of the artists I follow went on a short hiatus and some even had to delete kiss scenes from their webtoons while some wanted to rebel and used a vpn to post "mature" content on twitter.

That's so messed up and unfair and just ... f*ck. I feel so bad for her and her family (and fellow artist/authors). Her whole life was ruined for nothing.

And let's be real if that story was about a straight couple she would be free.

How many popular book relates the story of a girl/woman abused/raped who then fall in love with the perpetrator ? (one of the most popular trope of chinese story these last few years unfortunately)
The Chinese Government is okay with a novel filled with Racism towards Japan especially, and other countries.
 

Yukihime

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The Chinese Government is okay with a novel filled with Racism towards Japan especially, and other countries.
Heh, not surprising unfortantely. They're fine with everything that doesn't go against their "values".... that belong to the previous century
k5414.gif
 

perspherspley

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Heh, not surprising unfortantely. They're fine with everything that doesn't go against their "values".... that belong to the previous century
k5414.gif
I just hope that the next Chairman/Leader will not be an old fashioned person like the current one.
 

domination

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I can't believe we went from having heroin in 2016 to this. Taking one step forward two (or more) steps back.
 

perspherspley

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I can't believe we went from having heroin in 2016 to this. Taking one step forward two (or more) steps back.
It just gets worse, the censorship that is happening right now to the novel community of China is really so unreasonable.
 

yooamygirls

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What the fuck? Censorship AND homophobia AND injustice all in one go? Give rapists ten years in jail instead why don't you.
 

DramaDramaDrama

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President Pooh is ruining all China progress.
He pretends a new old fashioned and authoritary neo maoism.
And he will be the CCP leader until 2022 at least.
 
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