Illegal Jails in China



Chinese Complaint Department
Chinese police are investigating the existence of illegal jails, funded by private companies to handle complaining citizens.

Chinese police are investigating a Beijing firm for holding people in illegal jails that the government says do not exist, state media reported today.

According to China Daily, the company charged local officials to seize and lock up complainants, preventing them from taking their grievances to central authorities. Local authorities are penalised when petitioners from their areas complain to higher officials.

The English language newspaper reported that police had detained Zhang Jun, chairman of Beijing-based Anyuanding Security and Prevention Technical Support Service, and his general manager Zhang Jie, for "illegal detention and unlawful operation", citing the Southern Metropolis Daily. The move follows lengthy articles about the firm by Caijing magazine and Southern Metropolis Daily, both known for their investigative reporting.

Government spokesmen have repeatedly denied the existence of such detention centres, and it is rare to read about them in Chinese media. But last year the official magazine Outlook published a long report about them following an outcry over the rape of a young detainee by a guard, who was later jailed for eight years.

Therefore, if your brand new toaster doesn't work, keep it to yourself or end up in the slammer.