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So I know we have barely started China, but I figured I would try to look for an article pertaining to China (which is actually much, MUCH easier than doing so for Russia).
I found an article on CNN that was talking about Chinese legislators passing a law, a monumental law considering it is the "first overhaul of the criminal code in fifteen years," that allows the police to hold suspects at secret, undisclosed locations for up to six months. I'm getting the sense that the police in China already have a lot of influence over things and this will only give them more power. Essentially, under this law, the police can hold anyone who is suspected as a terrorist, accepting bribes, or being a threat to national security - and that includes saying things against the Chinese government. On paper, the suspects are allowed to have a lawyer and any evidence gathered from torture methods will be discarded, but in execution, who knows if this will actually be enforced considering police do illegal things all the time.
Apparently an amendment to this law was passed recently in which it is required of the police to notify the suspect's family to tell them that the suspect is being detained. However, they will not tell the family how long they will have the suspect or where they are keeping the suspect. This amendment and the "right to a lawyer" business are apparently considered "human rights" and improvements.
This gives the police wayyyyy too much power. They can detain suspects for almost anything because the interpretation of the law can be so broad.
What I want to know is why China is doing this? Is there something they're afraid of? How will the Chinese people respond to this? Will they respond to this? How is this making China any more "democratic"? Do you think America has the right to criticize this? Does anyone else think this is vaguely like NDAA?
Link!
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/14/world/asia/china-criminal-law/?hpt=ias_c2
This is just moving China farther away from democracy.. and scaring everyone into thinking they're going to get taken away forever when they may not have done anything wrong. I don't think this is a necessary action to take if there is no serious threat against them. With this kind of crazy secret system, I highly doubt the suspects are getting their full rights to lawyers, etc, because no one knows where they are!
ReplyDeleteWhy is China crazy..
It meets the needs of the state. As we've discussed, the Chinese legislature is a rubber stamp organization. Whatever the party wants, the party gets. So the party decided that it would be good for people to be detained for whatever reason, they can have that. What this does is it, like re-education, cuts down on dissent.
ReplyDeleteThis is insane. The police should not have that much power at all! especially when shady deals, bribes, and corruption have a way of get involved as well. I agree with Tia that this is just pushing China further away from democracy. I can't even believe that things like that are allowed to happen, the police can just take whoever for an indefinite amount of time. That's insane.
ReplyDeleteChina is not a democracy. The party rules all, and tries to make the feel included and hides information. As outsiders we can see what is really going on, but for those living in China the system may seem democratic because they don't know anything else and have been taught to believe this.
ReplyDelete