Chinese man imprisoned for desecrating Genghis Khan portrait

HOHHOT, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- A 19-year-old man was sentenced to one year in prison for desecrating a portrait of Genghis Khan in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, a local court said.

The man, surnamed Luo, was convicted for inciting ethnic hatred and ethnic discrimination, announced the court of Ejin Horo Banner of Ordos city.

Luo made a video in which he trampled a portrait of Genghis Khan and posted it to the Internet on May 20. The video went viral among netizens and aroused public discontent. Several members of the public alerted police to the video, the court said.

Luo apologized in court for harming public sentiment.

Genghis Khan (1162-1227) united the tribes in northern China and founded the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. His grandson, Kublai Khan, established the Yuan Dynasty, which ruled China from 1271 to 1368. Enditem