A notice circulating on the Chinese internet, believed to have been issued by a Hangzhou internet policing department, ordered an investigation into WeChat user “Vagrant” for criticizing Xi Jinping’s campaign against the “propagation of politically harmful information.” Vagrant shared a message to the eight-member WeChat group “National Communications Bureau Preparatory Committee” (国家通信局筹备委员会)—an obvious swipe at the government’s many relevant departments tasked with managing online information. The letter asked lower authorities to investigate Vagrant’s comment and the motivations behind it, to obtain a written letter of repentance, and to report any tools the user may have for “scaling” the Great Firewall. CDT Chinese has archived an image of the notice, which is translated below in full:
Public Sentiment Notice April 10
According to clues passed on from higher network security authorities, web user “Vagrant” on March 29, 2018 at 22:07:35 shared a message to the WeChat group (8 members) “National Communications Bureau Preparatory Committee,” saying: “Emperor Xi has screwed up society.”
Following initial investigation, the web user’s ID card belongs to Zhang Jie, ID number: XXXXXX. Temporarily living at Jiangpu Border Street Caihong Community, Unit X Room X. Cell phone: 186021XXXX
The web user has spread politically harmful information. Please conduct an on-the-ground investigation to ascertain the purpose, motive, and political background. Furthermore, in accordance with the law, please document the inquiry, penalty decision, written repentance, guarantee, and explanation of the situation, and send back to us by 12:00 the next day. If he used a tool to scale the wall please request that he delete and uninstall it, and report its specific category.
April 10, 2018
Network Policing Group
[Chinese]
