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| China 'running illegal prisons' | China 'running illegal prisons' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| China is running a number of unlawful detention centres in which its citizens can be kept for months, according to campaign group Human Rights Watch. | China is running a number of unlawful detention centres in which its citizens can be kept for months, according to campaign group 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. |
| The government has denied black jails are used, despite previous reports in state-run media on their existence. | The government has denied black jails are used, despite previous reports in state-run media on their existence. |
| '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. |
| 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. |
| Legal detention centres have also come in for criticism | Legal detention centres have also come in for criticism |
| "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 plain clothes security officers when they arrive in Beijing. | But some petitioners are detained by plain clothes security officers when they arrive in Beijing. |
| The Human Rights Watch report cites unpublished local government documents to provide details on the economic structure underpinning the jails. | The Human Rights Watch report cites unpublished local government documents to provide details on the economic structure underpinning the jails. |
| It says penalties are levied against local officials "who fail to take decisive action when petitioners from their geographical area seek legal redress in provincial capitals and Beijing". | It says penalties are levied against local officials "who fail to take decisive action when petitioners from their geographical area seek legal redress in provincial capitals and Beijing". |
| The operators of the black jails receive cash payments of 150 yuan ($22; £13) to 200 yuan per person, "creating another incentive to employ forms of illegal detention", the report says. | The operators of the black jails receive cash payments of 150 yuan ($22; £13) to 200 yuan per person, "creating another incentive to employ forms of illegal detention", the report says. |
| "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 already reported the existence of black jails. | State-run media outlets have already 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 had illegal detention centres. | Despite that, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang on Thursday denied that China had illegal detention centres. |
| "I can assure you that there are no so-called black jails in China," he said at a regular news briefing. | "I can assure you that there are no so-called black jails in China," he said at a regular news 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. |
| Are you in China? Have you been illegally detained or do you know anyone who has? Have you tried to petition the authorities with a grievance? What happened? You can send us your comments using the form below: | Are you in China? Have you been illegally detained or do you know anyone who has? Have you tried to petition the authorities with a grievance? What happened? You can send us your comments using the form below: |
| A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |