Those who are engaged in the profit-oriented production and dissemination of pornographic materials through the Internet, mobile communication terminals and "phone-sex" services in China are subject to punishment as severe as life imprisonment, according to the latest legal interpretations.

China's Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate jointly issued the interpretations Sunday on the application of law in handling criminal cases concerning the production, duplication, publication, sales and dissemination of electronic pornographic materials through the Internet, mobile communication terminals and phone-sex services. They will take effect Monday.

If a pornographic website has been clicked for more than 250,000 times, the case would be considered "very severe" and relevant people would be applicable with sentences of life imprisonment, according to the interpretations.

Depending on the seriousness of the cases, the sentences range from living under compulsory surveillance, detainment, taking into custody by the police, to various terms of imprisonment and life imprisonment.

According to the interpretations, grave cases of non-profit production and dissemination of pornographic materials are also criminal and subject to punishment. People who knowingly aid the production and dissemination of pornographic materials through the above-mentioned means are also culpable and will be punished.

China's criminal law contains stipulations on the punishment of production and dissemination of pornographic materials in general.

An official with the Supreme People's Court said the legal interpretations aim to maintain the normal order of the public network and communications and the legal rights and interests of the public.

(Xinhua News Agency September 6, 2004)