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China 'running illegal prisons' | China 'running illegal prisons' |
(30 minutes later) | |
China is running a number of unlawful detention centres in which its citizens can be kept for months, according to Human Rights Watch. | China is running a number of unlawful detention centres in which its citizens can be kept for months, according to Human Rights Watch. |
It says these centres - known as black jails - are often in state-run hotels, nursing homes or psychiatric hospitals. | It says these centres - known as black jails - are often in state-run hotels, nursing homes or psychiatric hospitals. |
Among those detained are ordinary people who have travelled to Beijing to report local injustices. | Among those detained are ordinary people who have travelled to Beijing to report local injustices. |
China says it is a country ruled by laws, but there are other sources to suggest that black jails do exist. | China says it is a country ruled by laws, but there are other sources to suggest that black jails do exist. |
'Punched and kicked' | 'Punched and kicked' |
The human rights group report, entitled An Alleyway in Hell, says ordinary people are often abducted off the streets and taken to illegal detention centres. | The human rights group report, entitled An Alleyway in Hell, says ordinary people are often abducted off the streets and taken to illegal detention centres. |
They are sometimes stripped of their possessions, beaten and given no information about why they have been detained. | They are sometimes stripped of their possessions, beaten and given no information about why they have been detained. |
Legal detention centres have also come in for criticism | Legal detention centres have also come in for criticism |
Human Rights Watch said it collected information for the report by interviewing 38 detainees earlier this year. | Human Rights Watch said it collected information for the report by interviewing 38 detainees earlier this year. |
"I asked why they were detaining me, and as a group [the guards] came in and punched and kicked me and said they wanted to kill me," one former detainee told the group. | "I asked why they were detaining me, and as a group [the guards] came in and punched and kicked me and said they wanted to kill me," one former detainee told the group. |
"I loudly cried for help and they stopped, but from then on, I didn't dare [risk another beating]." | "I loudly cried for help and they stopped, but from then on, I didn't dare [risk another beating]." |
Many of those held are petitioners, people who travel to Beijing to present their complaints to the State Bureau for Letters and Calls. | Many of those held are petitioners, people who travel to Beijing to present their complaints to the State Bureau for Letters and Calls. |
This national government department is supposed to help ordinary people across the country redress their grievances. | This national government department is supposed to help ordinary people across the country redress their grievances. |
But some petitioners are detained by plainclothes security officers when they arrive in Beijing. | But some petitioners are detained by plainclothes security officers when they arrive in Beijing. |
"The existence of black jails in the heart of Beijing makes a mockery of the Chinese government's rhetoric on improving human rights and respecting the rule of law," said Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. | "The existence of black jails in the heart of Beijing makes a mockery of the Chinese government's rhetoric on improving human rights and respecting the rule of law," said Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. |
Outcry over deaths | Outcry over deaths |
State-run media outlets have reported the existence of black jails. | State-run media outlets have reported the existence of black jails. |
The China Daily last week carried a report about the trial of a black jail guard accused of raping a 20-year-old woman who had been detained. | The China Daily last week carried a report about the trial of a black jail guard accused of raping a 20-year-old woman who had been detained. |
Despite that, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang on Thursday denied that China has illegal detention centres. | Despite that, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang on Thursday denied that China has illegal detention centres. |
"I can assure you that there are no so-called black jails in China," he said at a regular press briefing. | "I can assure you that there are no so-called black jails in China," he said at a regular press briefing. |
But when pressed on the issue he added that there were "existing problems" that were being dealt with. | But when pressed on the issue he added that there were "existing problems" that were being dealt with. |
Black jails are just one aspect of China's detention system that have come in for criticism over recent months. | Black jails are just one aspect of China's detention system that have come in for criticism over recent months. |
There has been a public outcry over the numbers of deaths in prisons and detention centres, a situation the government has promised to stamp out. | There has been a public outcry over the numbers of deaths in prisons and detention centres, a situation the government has promised to stamp out. |