Religion: July 2005 Archives

< 人权观察2005年全球考察报告 >

In late 2004, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) called for political reform within the Party in order to strengthen the Party’s ability to lead the nation. Party leaders made clear that China is to remain a one-party state, but one based increasingly on the rule of law. While China has made progress in some areas in recent years—strengthening its legal system, allowing more independent news reporting, and sometimes tailoring public policy more closely to public opinion—it remains a highly repressive state.

The Party’s 2004 promise to uphold the rule of law has been compromised by continuing widespread official corruption, Party interference in the justice system, and a culture of impunity for officials and their families. Authorities continue to censor news media. Civil society is also constrained and most NGOs are government-controlled. China prohibits independent domestic human rights organizations and bars entry to international human rights organizations. Chinese citizens who contact international rights groups risk imprisonment.

In late October and early November 2004, major riots by tens of thousands of people roiled Henan and Sichuan provinces. The riots were widely separated geographically and the issues precipitating them were different, but the riots, and the state response to them, highlighted growing rural unrest and Chinese leaders’ preoccupation with social stability. Leaders continue to isolate areas of discontent, and aim to prevent information about social problems from spreading.

The leader of an underground Chinese church is due to appear in a Beijing court on Thursday, accused of illegally printing more than 200,000 Bibles.

Cai Zhuohua, along with his wife and two other church members, has been charged with "illegal business practices", his lawyers have said.

The Protestant pastor has already been in detention for 10 months.

Although Bibles are not illegal in China, only one firm is permitted by the state to print them.

The country's Christians are also only allowed to worship in state-approved churches, although many people prefer to attend underground or "house" churches such as Pastor Cai's.

Mr Cai's lawyer, Gao Zhisheng, conceded that he was not optimistic about the verdict for the three detainees.

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