Procuratorates intensify protection of military interests

Procuratorates have intensified legal protection of national defense interests and the legitimate rights and interests of servicemen and their families, with 1,026 people having been prosecuted in military-related cases from 2021 to June 2022, officials with the Supreme People's Procuratorate said on Friday.

Procuratorial organs at all levels have continuously intensified punishment for violating national defense interests and the legitimate rights and interests of servicemen and their families in recent years, said Yuan Ming, head of the SPP's Second Procuratorial Office.

Local procuratorial organs have established a team for dealing with cases related to national defense and servicemen, ensuring rapid acceptance and giving priority to handling cases, he said.

"In addition, procuratorial organs, in cooperation with other local government departments, provide comprehensive judicial protection to minors from military families, Yuan said. "In addition, they also provide timely judicial assistance to veterans and families of servicemen who have suffered illegal violations to help them get out of difficulties."

Among those who were prosecuted, 235 had impersonated as soldiers, 259 were involved in forgery, altering, buying and selling official documents, certificates and seals belonging to the armed forces, and 54 people were found guilty of creating discord in soldiers' married lives.

The SPP also released some examples for case studies. In one case, a woman surnamed Wu passed herself off as an officer and duped five people of around 2.43 million yuan ($360,759) from 2016 to 2019. Wu passed herself off as an officer named Ye Lei by using a fake military certificate, uniform and the official seal of a People's Liberation Army hospital, which she bought online. She also claimed that her parents were army cadres.

She said she could help people join the army and jointly contract the support project of the army's hospital. She was accused of fraud in Taicang, Jiangsu province, and Zhengzhou and Xingyang in Henan province. Five people who fell for her tricks offered her money several times.