From the Manila Times via East Asia News:
Thousands of Chinese who petition the authorities for redress of grievances are attacked, intimidated and detained, Human Rights Watch said in a report released Thursday.
Activists trying to help them are also beaten and arrested, according to the report by the international watchdog entitled: “We Could Disappear at Any Time: Retaliation and Abuses against Chinese Petitioners.”
A staggering 10 million petitions were filed in 2004 but success is rare, HRW said. A recent study found only three of 2,000 petitioners surveyed had their problems resolved, it said.
HRW said the report is the first detailed investigation into how China handles the growing number of petitioners seeking justice over a variety of wrongdoings including police brutality, illegal land seizures and corruption.
