You have probably seen the latest campaign from Amnesty International that I published back in September 2008, China is getting ready. They are at it again with another ad; the razor barbed wire around the torch. It seems that the campaign was a success because all the news channels are covering the handful of protests surrounding the International Olympic Torch Relay this month. China is the world’s leader in the use of the death penalty. What the Amnesty International are asking for are positive changes such as a reform of the death penalty system, a greater reporting freedom for foreign journalists (who have been overshadowed by stalled reform of detention without trial), repression of human rights defenders and Internet censorship. Is it too much to ask from the world most populated country?

Yes I can tell you I have personally experienced Internet censorship from them. When the post, China is getting ready, first got published Kiwipulse received over 5,000 visitors from a Chinese Forum. The title of the post on the forum was “Look How The Outsider Think About Us”. Then I noticed that my link from that article was removed. I didn’t understand why until I found out that one of the forum’s policies is not to allow any links from outsiders. If I understand this clearly; they don’t like opening themselves to the world and our opinions are not welcome with wide open arms.

Recently, Amnesty International have published an article about the secrecy surrounding death penalty which says that at least 1,252 people were executed in 24 countries and at least 3,347 people were sentenced to death in 51 countries. Many more were simply killed by the state, in secret, in countries including China, Mongolia and Viet Nam. Do you think it will be safe in China during the summer Olympic? :neutral:

…continue reading the post Amnesty International: Beijing 2008