ABSTRACT: Two and a half years ago, the democratic movement and the demonstrations of Tienanmen Square were tragically crushed. Tens of thousand of political prisoners still languish in Chinese jails, arrested and sentenced for the simple exercise of their fundamental rights. Arbitrary arrests, unfair trials, disproportionate sentences and tough prison conditions make China in effect one huge prison.

On Saturday 25 January 1992, the day of the first visit of the Chinese Premier Li Peng to the West, the Radical Party organized a series of demonstrations in Rome and in other European capitals "for democracy in China and freedom in Tibet". Representatives of the democratic opposition in China and the Tibetan government-in-exile took part in these demonstrations.

(THE PARTY new - n. 6 - march 1992)

In China routine procedure is "first the verdict, then the trial". In cases where it is deemed necessary, jury foremen may refer trickier proceedings for treatment and decision by "judicial boards", bodies created to supervise the work of the judiciary, usually made up of members of the security forces and the Communist Party. Lawyers who zealously defend a defendant risk being taken as accomplices and incurring penal sanctions. Trials are not open to the public.

Political prisoners

Amnesty International believes a realistic estimate of the population of prisons to run into tens of thousands. Their crimes are various: damage to public property and buildings, the organization of opposition groups, "religious subversion", and the more traditional "anti-revolutionary crimes".

The penal code lays down that within ten days of arrest, formal charges must be brought. Should that not be the case, the suspect is to be released, and it is established that five and a half months are allowed for the carrying out of inquiries, after which the suspect must be found guilty or acquitted. The majority of inquiries concerning the spring of 1989 have not come to a conclusion, and those arrested are still in prison.

Administrative detention

Hundreds of thousands of Chinese people, if not millions, suffer varying lengths of arbitrary and illegal periods of administrative detention in protection and investigation centres. The vast majority of these people held in custody are persons of low social standing: tramps, unemployed people, immigrants and "social deviants".

Torture

Between 1988 and 1990 the Chinese authorities, by their own admission, have looked into over 20,000 cases of "violation of citizen's rights", a generic term used to cover torture. During periods of isolation prisoners are beaten, deprived of food and sleep, exposed to extremely low temperatures, administered electric shocks, manacled in painful positions and crowded into tiny cells.

The death penalty

It is not possible to say how many executions have been carried out in China over the last decade: time and time again the Chinese authorities have launched anti-crime campaigns that have led to thousands of death sentences. In 1983 one such campaign resulted in more than 10,000 executions. In 1990, thousands of death sentences were in all likelihood pronounced, most of which were carried out. In the first two months of 1991 at least 120 death sentences were carried out.

The death penalty was handed down to many after the pro-democracy demonstrations of June 1989, but the Chinese authorities have never revealed exactly how many. Amnesty International has gathered the names of over 50 people sentenced to death for crimes committed during the course of the demonstrations, but the organization believes that this is but a small percentage of the total.he most recent campaign to "wipe out crime" was launched in May 1990. For this occasion the authorities requested that courts apply the death penalty without mercy.

On some occasions "mass public executions" have been organized: prisoners are lined up in an open area, with a sign around their neck bearing their name and their crime, and then shot before the crowd. This rite can be preceded by convoys of prisoners, chained on open lorries which drive slowly through the streets of the city.

Tibet

Several hundred prisoners of conscience are still being held in prisons in Lhasa, the region's capital, and in other Tibetan detention centres. The most common charges levelled at these prisoners are the posession of "clandestine" material (political documents, unofficial information, Tibetan flags and symbols) and support of independence of the Autonomous Region of Tibet.

A number of prisoners currently held have suffered decidedly unfair trials, whose procedures were a reflection of the philosophy of "xian pan hou shen", first the verdict, then the trial. Many prisoners serve their terms undergoing "re-education through labour".

In the Autonomous Region of Tibet the systematic torture of prisoners continues. The Chinese authorities maintain almost total control on information regarding Tibet. The Peking government has never answered Amnesty International appeals for respect of human rights in Tibet.