People punished for cyberbullying flood-relief village official over 'gold earrings'

(ECNS) -- Chinese authorities have imposed administrative penalties on several individuals for cyberbullying a female village official who was praised for her flood-relief work, after she was targeted online for wearing what some claimed were expensive gold earrings, the Ministry of Public Security said on Tuesday.

According to a statement released by the ministry, the official, a village party branch secretary in Shimen County, Hunan Province, had spent days working on the front lines of severe flooding. She went door to door issuing warnings, sorting out evacuations, delivering supplies and even helped shelter residents.

However, after she appeared in an interview wearing a pair of earrings, she became the target of groundless online attacks. Some users speculated that the jewelry weighed as much as 100 grams and posted disparaging comments, including claims that "ordinary rural women can't afford gold earrings" and that "she would be more touching if she donated the earrings." The ministry said such remarks disrupted the atmosphere surrounding disaster-relief efforts.

Cyber police quickly identified 15 instances of online abuse and took action, the statement said. Administrative penalties were imposed on several online users under Chinese law, including a 44-year-old man surnamed Qin and a 45-year-old man surnamed Wei.

The ministry said it will continue its campaign against online violence, paid posters and rumors, vowing to protect citizens' legitimate rights and maintain order online.

(Zhang Dongfang)