Chapter VI Crimes of Obstructing the Administration of Public Order

Section 1 Crimes of Disturbing Public Order

Article 277 Whoever by means of violence or threat, obstructs a functionary of a State organ from carrying out his functions according to law shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention, or public surveillance or be fined.

Whoever by means of violence or threat, obstructs a deputy to the National People's Congress or a deputy to a local people's congress at any level from carrying out his functions as a deputy according to law shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Whoever during natural calamities or emergencies obstructs, by means of violence or threat, the workers of the Red Cross Society from performing their functions and duties according to law shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of the first paragraph.

Whoever intentionally obstructs officers of a State security organ or a public security organ from maintaining State security in accordance with law and causes serious consequences, though without resort to violence or threat, shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of the first paragraph.

Article 278 Whoever incites people to resist by violence the implementation of the laws and administrative rules and regulations of the State shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention, public surveillance or deprivation of political rights; if the consequences are serious, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than seven years.

Article 279 Whoever impersonates a functionary of a State organ to go about and deceive people shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention, public surveillance or deprivation of political rights; if the circumstances are serious, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than 10 years.

Whoever impersonates a people's policeman to go about and deceive people shall be given a heavier punishment in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Article 280 Whoever forges, alters, buys, sells or steals, forcibly seizes or destroys the official documents, certificates or seals of a State organ shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention, public surveillance or deprivation of political rights; if the circumstances are serious, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than 10 years.

Whoever forges the seals of a company, enterprise, institution or a people's organization shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention, public surveillance or deprivation of political rights.

Whoever forges or alters identity cards of citizens shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention, public surveillance or deprivation of political rights; if the circumstances are serious, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than seven years.

Article 281 Whoever illegally manufactures, buys or sells the people's police uniforms, number plates of police vehicles and other police insignia or police implements, if the circumstances are serious, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention or public surveillance and shall also, or shall only, be fined.

Where a unit commits the crime mentioned in the preceding paragraph, it shall be fined, and the persons who are directly in charge and the other persons who are directly responsible for the offence shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Article 282 Whoever unlawfully obtains State secrets by stealing, spying or buying shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention, public surveillance or deprivation of political rights; if the circumstances are serious, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than seven years.

Whoever unlawfully holds the documents, material or other objects classified as "strictly confidential" or "confidential" State secrets and refuses to explain their sources and purposes shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention or public surveillance.

Article 283 Whoever unlawfully manufactures or sells any specialized espionage equipment or devices such as those for eavesdropping or secret photographing shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention or public surveillance.

Article 284 Whoever unlawfully uses any special equipment or devices for eavesdropping or secret photographing, if the consequences are serious, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than two years, criminal detention or public surveillance.

Article 285 Whoever, in violation of State regulations, invades the computer information system in the fields of State affairs, national defence construction or sophisticated science and technology shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years or criminal detention.

Article 286 Whoever, in violation of State regulations, cancels, alters, increases or jams the functions of the computer information system, thereby making it impossible for the system to operate normally, if the consequences are serious, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than five years or criminal detention; if the consequences are especially serious, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than five years.

Whoever, in violation of State regulations, cancels, alters or increases the data stored in or handled or transmitted by the computer information system or its application program, if the consequences are serious, shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Whoever intentionally creates or spreads destructive programs such as the computer viruses, thus affecting the normal operation of the computer system, if the consequences are serious, shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of the first paragraph.

Article 287 Whoever uses computers to commit the crimes such as financial fraud, theft, embezzlement, misappropriation of public funds and theft of State secrets shall be convicted and punished in accordance with the relevant provisions of this Law.

Article 288 Whoever, in violation of State regulations, sets up or uses a radio station or occupies radio frequency without authorization and refuses to stop the use after being ordered to do so, thus disrupting the normal operation of radio communications and causing serious consequences, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention or public surveillance and shall also, or shall only, be fined.

Where a unit commits the crime mentioned in the preceding paragraph, it shall be fined, and the persons who are directly in charge and the other persons who are directly responsible for the offence shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Article 289 Where people are gathered to commit "beating, smashing or looting", thus causing injury, disability or death to a person, the offenders shall be convicted and punished in accordance with the provisions of Article 234 or 232 of this Law. If public or private money or property is destroyed, damaged, or forcibly taken, the offenders shall be ordered to return the money or property or make compensation and, in addition, the ringleaders shall be convicted and punished in accordance with the provisions of Article 263 of this Law.

Article 290 Where people are gathered to disturb public order to such a serious extent that work in general, production, business operation, teaching or scientific research cannot go on and heavy losses are caused, the ringleaders shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than seven years; the active participants shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention, public surveillance or deprivation of political rights.

Where people are gathered to assault a State organ, making it impossible for the State organ to conduct its work and causing heavy losses, the ringleaders shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than five years but not more than 10 years; the active participants shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than five years, criminal detention, public surveillance or deprivation of political rights.