Handcuffs Photo: CFP

 




Luo Changping, an online celebrity and journalist, made a public apology on Monday for his offensive remarks about the martyrs of the Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) in a letter published on the Legal Daily newspaper. 

Luo said he deeply regrets his wrong behavior and is willing to bear corresponding legal responsibility. "I have already been punished by the law and I would like to sincerely apologize again to the sacrificing CPV martyrs and their families, and the Chinese public," said Luo. 

Luo promised that he will never use this kind of humiliating or extreme remarks again when expressing his views in any kind of form, saying he will sincerely commemorate the martyrs and do some as much charity work as he can to right his wrongs. 

Luo was sentenced to prison for seven months on May 5 in Sanya, South China's Hainan Province. The court also asked Luo to make public apologies on news sites and papers, including Sina.com, Legal Daily and People's Liberation Army Daily. 

Luo, who has more than 2 million followers on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo, posted humiliating remarks on CPVs last October when talking about the newly released movie The Battle at Lake Changjin.

The movie presents scenes in which a company of CPV soldiers were frozen to death during the battle at Lake Changjin in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea.

The company was thus called "Bingdiaolian" (meaning "ice sculpture company"), but Luo used the pun "Shadiaolian" (meaning "silly company") to tease and defame the martyrs.

The move angered many Chinese netizens who reported it to Sina Weibo, and Luo's account was later banned. Luo deleted the post the next day and apologized on his WeChat account, but his insulting remarks were not forgotten.

Luo then confessed to the Jiyang branch of Sanya public security bureau and was put under criminal detention for allegedly violating heroes and martyrs' dignity and reputation.

According to the investigation, Luo clearly violated the right of reputation and right of honor for heroes and martyrs by releasing nine satirizing and humiliating posts on Webio since 2009, which have obtained more than 17 million views and comments. 

The court said that the heroic deeds of CPVs are cherished memories for the Chinese nation, which should be carried forward by Chinese people and not profaned or defamed.

Luo has voluntarily paid 80,000 yuan (roughly $12087) to the memorial hall commemorating the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953) in Northeast China's Liaoning Province as compensation.