Defy a court order to pay up? You could be named and shamed on a bus ad in China
‘Rogues’ gallery’ on public buses in Chinese city offers rewards for tip-offs to help reclaim money from court disputes
A Chinese court has put up “rogues’ gallery” posters on buses showing the photographs, names and details of more than 160 people found guilty in property disputes, such as divorce hearings, to force them to comply with rulings, mainland media reported.
People travelling on five bus routes in Guangxi province’s capital, Nanning, have been offered cash rewards in return for providing information that leads to the recovery of funds or other property hidden away by the people on the posters, the news website Gxnews.com.cn reported.
The Xingning District People’s Court said in an announcement on a poster displayed on the outside of a bus that it was offering the public cash rewards equalling 5 per cent of the value of any cash or property recovered as a result of information they provided.
The posters, first put up on the outside of buses on Monday, will remain on display for one month.
The move was an “innovative” idea to help crack down on rampant “rogues” who were trying to avoid making payments imposed by the court, the report said.
The information on the posters includes the people’s names, identity card numbers and photographs, and also the charges and punishments imposed on them by the court.
It estimated that more than 10,000 people had seen the information on the posters on Monday morning alone.
The court previously had success after displaying such details in newspapers, inside subway stations and on advertising posters in public squares, the report said.
The posters aim to prevent people hiding their funds or other property and then claiming to be penniless after being ordered by the court to make payments to settle legal disputes such as divorce, child-support or company contract hearings.
