In China, 3-year jail for slighting anthem

Set to be extended to Hong Kong

China has passed legislation to punish anyone who disrespects the national anthem with up to three years in prisons, state media reported on Saturday.

The changes to China's criminal law were approved during a committee meeting of the Country's rubber-stamp Parliament, the National People's Congress(NPC) according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Xinhua said the three-year sentences could apply in serious cases concerning disrespect towards the anthem but did not provide further details. The law is also set to apply in Hong Kong.

September variant

The country in September passed a National Anthem Law applying to mainland citizens, which specified a much lesser jail term of 15 days for disrespecting the song.

Separately on Saturday Hong Kong's government said that law will also apply in the semi-autonomous territory, once the authorities enact a local version of the legislation and get it passed through the legislature.