The Wuhan Municipal Mental Sanitation Rule is expected to come out next year, securing the legal rights of people with mental illnesses in that city.
Kong Fanli, director of the Mingge Wuhan Commission, says that though China's existing laws have mentioned mental illness, they do not offer comprehensive and detailed measures in the protection of these peoples' rights. The new rule will ban the limitations of people's freedom by illegal means and ensure that they enjoy equal rights with other people to participate in society. The rule also says that those who disclose the private details of the mental patients will be fined up to RMB50,000.
Local media reports that Wuhan statistics show that there are more than 300,000 people in Wuhan who have various psychological problems. In addition, about 10%-20% of the teenagers in the city have different degrees of mental issues. About 1900 people commit suicide each year because of mental disease.
