Anyone caught handing out small advertisement stickers or cards twice in Beijing faces two years of education through labor, Beijing News reported today.

The education through labor is a system of administrative detentions in China which is generally used to detain persons for minor crimes such as petty theft, prostitution, and illegal drug use for periods up to four years.

The Municipal Public Security Bureau will be launching its plans to prevent people from handing out advertisement cards, especially in high trafficked areas. Anyone caught twice distributing small cards, pasting stickers or spraying advertisements on walls, will face punishments from detention to education through labor, the newspaper said.

The telecommunication authority plans to suspend the phone numbers published on the advertisements. Other authorities, such as public transport, postal, city management, industrial and commercial authorities will take the responsibility of cleaning up the ads, as well as provide funds, establish cleaning crews and take care of the monitoring of these types of illegal activities.

Unlicensed taxicabs and illegal vendors are also on the black list, and may face similar punishments as the sticker pastors, the newspaper said.

The city will be enhancing its management, mainly focusing on these types of illegal activities, especially in its 400 busiest areas, the newspaper said.

Local authorities will also launch a campaign against begging activities in the city. Beggars under 18 years of age may be required to accept the governments help and protection, while those abetting, hiring or controlling youngsters to engage them in begging activities will be heavily punished.

(Shanghai Daily May 9, 2006)