China Proposes To Abilish Labour Camps

A proposal to abolish re-education through labour camps was also approved.

The decision to close the labour camps puts an end to a controversial punishment system long criticised for its human rights abuses

China had 260 labour camps holding 160,000 inmates at the start of 2013, according to figures from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights Watch.

The network, which was created in the 1950s based on the Soviet Gulag, allowed the Chinese police to send anyone to prison for up to four years without a trial

Labour camps

 

• Established in 1950s
• China had 260 labour camps holding 160,000 inmates at the start of this year
• Inmates are made to undergo "laojiao", also known as "re-education through labour" - often factory work
• Used to lock up undesirables such as drug addicts and prostitutes, but also those who complain about injustices or members of banned religious groups
• Harsh punishments are commonplace