To maintain social stability, protect the interests of the people, safeguard
reform and opening up and the construction of a modern socialist country, it
is necessary to ban heretic cult organizations and prevent and punish cult
activities.
Based on the constitution and other related laws, the following decision is
hereby made:
- Heretic cult organizations shall be resolutely banned according to
law and all of their criminal activities shall be dealt with severely.
Heretic cults, operating under the guise of religion, Qigong or other
illicit forms, which disturb social order and jeopardize people's life and
property, must be banned according to law and punished resolutely.
People's courts, people's procuratorates, public security, national security
and judicial administrative agencies shall fulfil their duties in carrying
out these tasks.
To be severely dealt with according to law are those who manipulate members
of cult organizations to violate national laws and administrative
regulations, organize mass gatherings to disrupt social order and fool
others, cause deaths, rape women, swindle people out their money and
property or commit other crimes with superstition and heresy.
- The principle of combining education with punishment should be
followed in order to unify and instruct the majority of the deceived public
and to mete out severe punishment to the handful of criminals.
During the course of handling cult groups according to law, people who
joined cult organizations but were unaware of the lies being spread by the
group shall be differentiated from criminal elements who organize and take
advantage of cult groups for illegal activities and/or to intentionally
destroy social stability.
The majority of the deceived members shall not be prosecuted, while those
organizers, leaders and core members who committed crimes shall be
investigated for criminal conduct ; those who surrender to the authorities
or contribute to the investigations shall be given lesser punishments in
accordance with the law or be exempt from punishment.
- Long-term, comprehensive instruction on the constitution and the law
should be carried out among all citizens, knowledge of science and
technology should be popularized and the national literacy level raised.
Banning cult organizations and punishing cult activities according to law
goes hand in hand with protecting normal religious activities and people's
freedom of religious belief.
The public should be exposed to the inhumane and anti-social nature of
heretic cults, so they can knowingly resist influences of cult
organizations, enhance their awareness of the law and abide by it.
- All corners of society shall be mobilized in preventing and fighting
against cult activities, and a comprehensive management system should be put
in place.
People's governments and judicial bodies at all levels should be
heldresponsible for guarding against the creation and spread of cult
organizations and combating cult activities.
This is an important, long-term task that will ensure social stability.
