BEIJING, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Acts of deliberately throwing objects from a high altitude will be treated as a crime of endangering public security by dangerous means, intentional injury or intentional homicide depending on specific situations, according to a new guideline issued by the Supreme People's Court.
Suspects, whose intentional high-rise littering activities have not caused serious consequences but are sufficient to endanger public safety, shall be convicted for endangering public security and sentenced to three to 10 years in jail, the guideline reads.
Those who inflict serious injury or death on people or cause heavy losses of public or private property could face penalties up to life imprisonment or death in accordance with article 115 of China's Criminal Law.
Anyone who commits the acts with the purpose of injuring or killing a specific person shall be convicted for intentional injury or homicide, the guideline says.
"Criminal activities involving intentionally throwing objects from a high altitude should be severely punished in accordance with the law," the guideline reads.
The document also lists circumstances that are subject to heavy penalties and are generally not applicable to probation, including committing the acts multiple times, continuing to carry out such acts after being dissuaded from doing so, or conducting the acts in crowded places.
Anyone who causes objects to fall from high altitudes due to negligence, resulting in serious injury or death, shall be convicted for negligently causing severe injury or death according to the Criminal Law, says the guideline.
