Beijing: A draft ‘dress code’ law proposed recently in China has triggered a debate across the country.
If enacted, the law will ban speech and attire deemed “detrimental to the spirit of Chinese people.”
A draft of the proposed legislation, released by the standing committee of China’s legislature, has been listed as one of its priorities for passage this year, reported Bloomberg.
Those who violate the law will face punishments ranging from a fine of $950 to being sent to detention centre for 15 days.
Similarly, people who create or disseminate articles or speech that fall under this category could face similar punishment.
However, lack of clarity regarding what constitutes a violation and potential repercussions have raised concerns, reported BBC.
The draft code does not explicitly define what actions or expressions would be considered in violation of the prohibition. Social media users and legal experts have called for greater clarity to prevent potential overreach and excessive enforcement.
Part of a set of proposed changes to China’s public security laws, the proposed law is the first significant reform in decades.
