China Punishes 197 For Spreading Rumours Online

China says it has punished 197 as part of a crackdown on citizens who spread unproven rumours on the internet.

The country's Xinhua News Agency reported that 165 online accounts have been closed by authorities as part of the move.

Officials say those punished included people who circulated an inflated death toll in the country's Tianjin blasts and who claimed a man committed suicide because of last week's stock market crash.

They also said some people were punished for spreading rumours about upcoming commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two, which China marks on Thursday with a military parade through Beijing.

The country's Public Security Ministry has made efforts in the last two years to put a stop to rumours spreading across social media and the internet, claiming such behaviour needs to be wiped out.

But critics say the initiative is also aimed at suppressing unwanted criticism of the ruling Communist Party.