China arrests 110 over spreading online rumours

The Chinese government is reportedly investigating 400 people from Xinjiang region for spreading online rumours.

110 people, who are detained are said to have disseminated religious extremism and posted material that threatened stability.

According to the BBC, the rapid rise of internet users in Xinjiang has seen an increase of religious extremism spreading online along with criminal offences online such as instigating violence and creating and spreading rumours.

A spokesperson for the World Uighur Congress, Dilxat Raxit said that the people were simply trying to express their dissatisfaction with the Chinese government and were arrested because they used the internet to expose the cover-up of the truth of China's security crackdown in Xinjiang.

Recently, China's top court issued a regulation specifying that people who spread online rumours that get 5,000 visits or reposted 500 times will be charged with defamation and given sentences up to three years in jail.

Human rights groups have accused Beijing of exaggerating the terrorist threat in order to justify its tough security policies, the report added.