Chinese travel blogger jailed for 7 months over ‘disrespectful’ photos at soldiers’ cemetery

A travel blogger has been jailed for seven months after posting pictures of himself in “disrespectful poses” at a cemetery for Chinese soldiers in Xinjiang, according to state media.

Li Qixian – who was blogging under the name Xiao Xian Jayson – had shared nine photographs on social media platforms WeChat and Xiaohongshu in July after visiting the Kangxiwa Martyrs’ Cemetery in Xinjiang, captioning them with the Chinese characters for “respect”.

But two of the photos drew widespread criticism online, with many claiming that Li appeared to show no respect for the veterans buried in the cemetery, including a soldier who died in a clash on the Indian border last year.

On Monday, state mouthpiece People’s Daily said the Pishan County People’s Court in Xinjiang had sentenced Li to seven months in prison for “infringing on the reputation of heroes and martyrs” and ordered him to make a public apology within 10 days. It did not say when the sentence had been handed down.