Two Congresses: A New Mark on History's Pillar of Shame

HRIC Commentary
2012-03-16
18th Party Congress Watch (5)
Gao Wenqian, HRIC Senior Policy Advisor

At present, threatened by crises from all directions, China is like a powder keg set to explode. Because of the intensification of all sorts of social conflict, the iron-fisted way of maintaining stability is being stretched thin and hard to sustain. If the party-state system is not changed fundamentally but only piece-meal, or if rumors of "reform" are spread only to sway public opinion, then all efforts would be a waste and incapable of turning the country around. If those in power are sincere about reform, they should begin by removing the provisions in the amended Criminal Procedure Law that allow secret detentions. This is the touchstone for whether they mean what they say. In the end, they adopted those provisions and legalized secret detentions. Officials high and low across China should take note: China's laws do not protect you. One day, you may encounter the same fate as Wang Lijun and by then it will be too late for regrets. In legalizing secret detentions, the final Two Congresses in Hu and Wen's term have become a new mark on history's pillar of shame.


Written Commentary by Gao Wenqian:
Two Congresses: A New Mark on History's Pillar of Shame
http://hrichina.org/content/5931

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