A court in Beijing, China on Tuesday (23 October) ruled the country’s ban on online LGBTI content was lawful.

Fan Chunlin challenged China Netcasting Service Association (CNSA)’s June 2017 decision to label homosexuality ‘abnormal sexual behavior’ and ban it from China’s internet. He filed a case with the Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court in January this year. But, this week, the court ruled against the 30-year-old from Shanghai, according to court documents reviewed by Gay Star News.

Fan said he was ‘disappointed’ with the ruling but vowed he and his lawyer, Tang Xiangqian, would appeal the decision. ‘I think the first trial judgement was wrong, and the facts unclear’ Tang told Gay Star News. ‘Although it will be hard, we will appeal to the Beijing High Court’.

Civil challenges against China’s powerful government are rare. Fan told Gay Star News he wanted to do his part for the LGBTI community in filing the case. Read more via Gay Star News