Post date: Dec 17, 2013 1:46:14 PM
NVO - A report released by Amnesty International says China is continuing to commit human rights abuses in the use of extra-judicial "black jails" and rehabilitation centers.
Last month, China vowed to close the country's 350 labour camps that are used to hold political and religious dissidents without any judicial process.
But according to the Amnesty report the centers still exist, just under a new guise.HEAD OF EAST ASIA OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, ROSEANN RIFE,
"And we've even seen some of these camps just simply having their name changed into enforced drug rehabilitation camps. So unless the authorities really try to address the institution of arbitrary detention, they're just changing one form with another."
China's controversial 're-education through labour' programme has been criticized by human rights groups who say inmates are tortured, deprived of food, water and sleep, and beaten by other inmates.
Government officials dismissed the report and said Amnesty was prejudiced against China.
CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESWOMAN HUA CHUNYING SAYING:
"I have commented on this group before. This group has always had ideological prejudices againstChina, and continues to make unreasonable criticisms and starts rumours to smear China. I suggest you should not look so much at these kinds of reports. Since you are in China, I suggest you get in touch with relevant departments and learn more about such issues if you are interested."
And even though the government has said they will shut down the program, they have not said what they plan to do with the 160,000 inmates currently being held in the labour camps.