Some Chinese officials were indignant over the assertions of
"widespread and systematic" torture and ill-treatment of prisoners
in China in a recent report released by Amnesty International,
saying that "they were fabricated."
Du
Zhongxing, director of the Prison Administration under the Ministry
of Justice, said the Chinese government prohibits the practice of
torture, beating or ill-treatment of prisoners, which is also laid
down in the Prison Law.
In
order to ensure the successful implementation of these provisions,
the law enforcement bodies have set up offices in all prisons and
special mailboxes for reports of complaints have been installed to
deal with illegal practices done by the police.
Referring to the cases of Amnesty International report concerning
torture and ill-treatment of prisoners, Du said that "these are
sheer rumors."
In
recent years, many international organizations and individuals have
visited some prisons in China and they appreciated the achievements
and progress of the prison administration in China.
Du
pointed out that just like prisons in other countries, beatings and
ill-treatment of prisoners have not yet been rooted out completely
in China.
However, "the law enforcement departments will take immediate
action to punish the jail officers who dare to break the law," Du
said.
Wang Yunsheng, director of the Reeducation Through Labor
Administration under the Ministry of Justice, said that the reports
that Falun Gong followers have been beaten to death never occurred
in reeducation through labor institutes.
The police in these institutes respect the dignity of Falun Gong
followers and protect their legitimate rights, Wang said.
According to Wang, no one has been sent to for reeducation through
labor because he is a Falun Gong follower unless he violates
relevant laws and disturbs public order.
As
for the reported case of family planners torturing Zhou Jianxiong
to death, Chen Shengli, director of the Publicity and Education
Department under the State Family Planning Commission, said the
report by Amnesty International failed to have consistent
facts.
"The report declined to mention the punishments of criminals
involved in the case," Chen said.
According to a verdict document of a local court, right after the
occurrence of the case, four suspects confessed to their crimes to
the local police and were respectively sentenced to 10 years',
seven years', five years' and three years' imprisonment by the
local court.
Chen said that the Chinese government announced at the Cairo
International Conference on Population and Development that
"voluntariness of the general public" and "providing quality
service of reproductive health" were the principle in carrying out
the family planning policy.
In
1991, the Chinese government laid down that implementing the family
planning policy by force in any form is prohibited.
To
date, "providing quality service of reproductive health" has become
the theme of family planing, and the birth rate in China has
remained far below the population replacement level.
"Therefore, theoretically speaking, it is not necessary to resort
to force in carrying out the family planning policy," Chen
said.
(Xinhua 02/19/2001)