China's counter terrorism-related ministries jointly issued a guideline on legal procedures and penalties for terror-related crimes, which experts noted will deter offenders.
Jointly issued by four departments -Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP), Supreme People's Court (SPC), Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) - the guideline said people who write, publish or broadcast terrorism-related content online, will be criminally liable.
The guideline was published on the SPP website on Friday, and said it aims to "safeguard national security, social stability and ensure public safety by punishing terrorism and extremism."
The guideline provides a legal basis for the country to deal with behavior against social stability, especially in border regions such as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Xiong Kunxin, an ethnic studies expert and professor at Beijing's Minzu University of China, told the Global Times on Monday.
In China, terrorism and extremism-related behavior is increasingly getting more visible online. The guideline will deter potential violators, Xiong said.
The guideline also specifies the crimes of aiding terrorist activities, preparing terrorist activities and wearing clothes or symbols which advocate terrorism and extremism.
Intermediate people's courts are expected to handle terrorist-related crimes, and local level people's courts are in charge of extremism-related crimes.
People who get involved in terrorist and extremist-related crimes should be rehabilitated, but should be treated differently, according to the guideline.
"Digital data in terrorist activities or related offenses is allowed as evidence," it said.
Zhao Kezhi, the minister of the MPS and head of the National Counterterrorism Leading Group, completed a four-day visit on Friday to Xinjiang on anti-terrorism, Xinjiang Daily reported on Saturday.
Zhao visited Urumqi and southern Xinjiang areas, including Hotan, Kashgar, and the Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous prefecture, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC).
"Zhao went to Xinjiang as the minister of the MPS for the first time. Xinjiang's stability will continue to be an important mission of the department, especially in southern Xinjiang, where terrorist activities are rampant," Xiong noted.
Zhao also visited the family of a police officer in Kashgar, who died 20 years ago in an explosion, capitalnews, a WeChat account affiliated with the Beijing Daily, reported.
"Zhao's visit encourages police officers in Xinjiang and shows his commitment to maintaining regional stability," Xiong added.