Hong Kong (AFP)
Mixed martial arts fighter Angela Lee urged social media users to "think twice before speaking", referring to the death of a young Japanese wrestler and participant in a reality show, victim of cyberbullying.
"Your words can soothe and cure (the ills of) someone, but they can also bring them down and destroy them. Please think twice before speaking. It could save someone's life. "Lee, 23, said on her Instagram account.
The apparent suicide of Hana Kimura, 22, announced on May 23, caused a shock wave in Japan and revived in the country the debate on tougher measures against harassment on the internet.
The professional wrestler with pink hair was one of the six participants of the popular program Terrace House, broadcast on Netflix in Japan and abroad, whose current season was stopped after his death.
Kimura quickly drew the attention of viewers but she also quickly became the target of torrents of insults on the internet, with comments such as "everyone will be happy when you are gone".
"Being in the spotlight all the time puts a lot of pressure," wrote Canadian-American Lee, who represents Singapore in MMA.
"Add to that people's judgments, critics, ignorant comments, hateful comments ... It's enough to push anyone to the limit," added the Korean and Singaporean fighter.
The subject of cyberbullying had already rocked South Korea in 2019, after the successive suicides of two K-pop (Korean pop) singers, Sulli and Goo Hara, targets of offensive comments on social networks.
© 2020 AFP