Chinese police target writers of gay erotica with prison terms and heavy fines | South China Morning Post

Police in eastern China have been targeting dozens of writers who posted gay-themed erotica online, resulting in heavy fines and even prison sentences.

However, the crackdown by officers in Anhui, who have been investigating and detaining people from other provinces, has prompted concerns that officers are abusing their powers as well as a wider debate about whether the law is too severe.

According to posts on social media, many of those arrested had been posting stories on the Taiwanese-based fiction website Haitang Culture and charged with producing, selling or disseminating pornographic materials.

Users of the site can make money from tips or subscriptions from fans, with one of the most popular genres being danmei – a style focusing on gay romance and s*x that originated in Japanese manga and has become popular in mainland China over the past two decades.

Earlier this month the news portal Shuiping Jiyuan reported that police in Anhui have detained more than 50 writers across the country since June. So far the heaviest sentence handed down was four and a half years in prison.

Under Chinese law, writers who make more than 250,000 yuan (US$34,500) from selling erotic materials can face a maximum sentence of life in prison, although in practice they can get lower sentences if they cooperate with investigators and pay back the money.