Xi Jinping Seeks Greater Control Over Courts

Although some Chinese legal experts recently expressed hope that the Communist Party might implement reforms that would enhance judicial independence and rule-of-law, as Shannon Tiezzi argues in The Diplomat, it seems that pr

Mass Protest in Wuhan Results in Beatings and Extrajudicial Detention

Approximately 600 people gathered outside of the National People’s Congress building in Wuhan, Hebei province to protest the practice of local authorities forcibly evicting residents from their land to make way for commercial development projects. The forcible expropriation of land has long served as a primary cause of unrest and mass protests in China. A recent study found that nearly half of all rural residents have had land forcibly taken from them.

New York Times Highlights Arbitrary Detention in Custody and Education Centers

Highlighting the persistence of China’s vast system of arbitrary detention institutions following the passage of legislation abolishing the laojiao labor camp system, the New York Times published an article describing conditions in Custody and Education Centers, detention institutions in which sex workers are imprisoned for up to two years at the discretion of public security officials.

China Formally Passes Legislation Ending Labor Camps, Easing One Child Policy

On December 28, 2013, the National People’s Congress formally passed legislation easing the One Child Policy and abolishing the laojiao labor camp system. Local governments will reportedly decide when to implement these reforms.