Wanted posters go online

A recently launched website, which includes images of suspects of crimes, has prompted an online debate over whether the publication of these images violates the rights of the suspects.

The public security bureau of the Gulou district of Nanjing, Jiangsu province, launched the website on Monday, which will help the police identify criminal suspects by posting their pictures online. Since it was put into pilot operation on December 12, the website has already published images of suspects wanted in 21 cases.

Two suspects have been identified and caught in relation to two theft cases, according to a statement released by the district bureau.

Enlarged screenshots and several seconds of video footage taken from recordings made by the network of around 30,000 electronic eye devices in the district are on the website, and show the faces of the suspects, Tang Tao, an instructor with the Gulou bureau told the Xinhua News Agency.

If Net users are the first to provide information on a suspect and the information is then used by the police, they will be awarded a reward consisting of at least 1,000 yuan ($165.20).

Suspects can also choose to give themselves up to the police via the platform.

The website consists of five sections. The section "Focus on Today" displays the suspects with clearer pictures and more complete criminal facts.

There are also sections dedicated to specific crimes like pickpocketing, vehicle theft, burglary and fraud.

The first whistle-blower to receive the 1,000 yuan reward was a security guard surnamed Chen who works in a local hospital.

After recognizing someone he had seen at the hospital, he provided information on a suspect allegedly involved in a theft case in the hospital and reported it to the police.

Many crimes are conducted trans-regionally, making the traditional methods of case solving outdated, and the online channel is an effective new method, Che Daozheng, the head of the Gulou public security bureau was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

In response to claims that the website violates the rights of suspects, Mao Lixin, a lawyer with the Beijing-based Shangquan Law Firm, said that police have the right to launch a public manhunt and seek public assistance, which does not infringe on the suspects' rights.

This initiative is just the new method of putting up a wanted poster in a public place, and can use the great influence of the Internet to speed up the investigation, Mao told the Global Times.

Aside from providing tip-offs on the platform, the public can also provide clues via other channels including Weibo, QQ, e-mail or call 24-hour hotlines.