XINING -- A court in Northwest China's Qinghai province gave a one-year sentence to a policeman Friday for dereliction of duty after he wrongfully detained a woman in 2013.

The Xining Intermediate People's Court ruled that Zhang Junzhi, who was stationed at a local police station in Xining, the capital of Qinghai, failed to conduct his lawful duties as a policeman and he had severely violated the rights of individual freedom.

Liu Li, a resident of Central China's Hunan province, was wrongfully detained for 12 days in Qinghai in November 2013, after Zhang mistook her for a burglar. Zhang failed to report his mistake even after discovering information that might have proven the woman's innocence, according to the court.

The court ruled that Zhang's behavior severely damaged the reputation of government organs and had a bad influence on society.

Zhang was declared innocent by the Huangyuan County People's Court in early February on the grounds of insufficient evidence.