Wednesday 3 December 2008

 

The latest culture as recommended by our staff

Michael Henderson

Michael Henderson suggests


The secrets of Beijing’s ‘black jails’

The terrible secrets of Beijing’s ‘black jails’

Wednesday, 10th October 2007

The author’s arrest while investigating Chinese prisons

Black Shirt ordered the entrance gates to be slammed shut, blocking our way. We were dragged out across the tarmac. In the mêlée I said to Andrew, ‘Quick, give me the tape.’ He removed it from the camera and I stuck it in my sock while Andrew put another blank roll into his dead machine.

Just when the goons had apparently decided to give us a beating, the police turned up and arrested us. So much for Beijing’s promise that in the run-up to the Olympic Games ‘there will be no restrictions on media reporting and movement of journalists’. When the International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded Beijing the 2008 Games, China promised it would improve its appalling human rights record. But there is no sign of improvement. Human rights, and human beings, are being brushed aside in the ruthless preparations for the Games.

For a short time we were part of the sweep-up. The police isolated our team members — myself, Andrew and our Chinese interpreter — in separate rooms. During six gruelling hours of interrogation, Andrew and I were accused of breaking Chinese law. We were told we would be detained until we wrote and signed a confession admitting this. We refused. A young cop with a video camera filmed us all the while.

Our translator was held for 16 hours. He was threatened and hectored for working with foreigners. This happens quite often in China, where the authorities are unable to bully Westerners much. Journalists’ fixers are often subjected to a campaign of violence and intimidation — and have been imprisoned for years at a time.

I repeatedly asked the senior police officers who attended my interrogation if they would investigate the black jail whose existence we had just exposed for them. Why had they arrested us instead? ‘They [the petitioners] must have done something wrong,’ I was told. At one point the police ordered me to apologise to Black Shirt who was, they revealed, the director of the Nanyang City office in Beijing and an important official. The police claimed we were guilty of trespass and had been very rude to the ‘director’. ‘This is absurd,’ I snorted.

More articles from: Aidan Hartley | this section

Subscribe now

Post this entry to:   del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit

Comments

Post a comment


Your comment:*

Your name:*

Your email address:*
(We won't publish this)

*Required information

Please click the button only once - your comment will not be published immediately

Andrew

October 18th, 2007 4:42pm

How can I see the footage without watching Channel 4 at 7:30 on 19 October??? By the way, that means absolutely nothing to an international readership.

Paul

October 19th, 2007 8:06pm

Just watched the program. The Olympic games should be boycotted. There is no justification for the cruelty with which these ordinary people are treated. There is no excuse for not reacting. If you can speak, then shout.

Chloe Pooley

October 19th, 2007 9:35pm

We just watched the programme, too. I had already had huge doubts about China's human rights record in current times but then I saw this programme by Aidan Hartley. It was evidence of vile, pointless and inhumane treatment of ordinary citizens who are being forced out of their homes by the authorities, then beaten, detained and tortured for daring to protest against their treatment. All this because Beijing is making way for new developments near the Olympic zone. The programme makers' treatment speaks volumes about the deeply ironic desperation of behalf of the state to smother any signs of protest to appear developed and democratic in the light of the country's hosting the Olympics. The country should never have won the bid and I sincerely hope participating countries such as the UK pull out for fear of condoning such a repressive regime.

Dret Grefison

October 20th, 2007 6:05am

Boycott anything and any brand associated with the Olympics, seriously. Perfect opportunity to make a difference by making 2008 a year the Olympics wouldn't put up with all the BS just to let some (spectacular) kids win medals.

Margaret Gray

October 21st, 2007 9:51pm

I would like to see the video of those black jails on the internet. Let me know when it is available.

Daffy

October 23rd, 2007 12:46pm

I wish there was a contact at the IOC to make my feelings known or petition I could sign. It was obvious the China would carry on with its human rights abuses and being awarded the Olympics means more of it people suffer with an apparent pat on the back from the rest of the world.

Monty

October 25th, 2007 4:31pm

At the moment, there is a Global Human Rights Torch Relay taking place to raise awareness of human rights in China. Please visit wwww.humanrightstorch.org. From there, there are lots of related links where you can sign petitions. I wasn't going to participate in this Relay. After reading this article and watching http://www.veoh.com/videos/v1357069DKZqmaty I am now feeling really ashamed myself. I am appealing to all you kind-hearted people out there to please, please do something about it. Even something as simple as spreading this link or telling people about it. The ruling Chinese Communist Regime is so brutal and evil that it is even persecuting its own people for practising a traditional Chinese qigong exercise called Falun Gong. Falun Gong benefits both the mind and body and embraces the basic principles of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance. The persecution has been going on for eights years and thousands have been tortured to death. Hundreds of thousands are in jails and slave labour camps in appalling conditions, pumping out all those "Made in China" stuffs we are buying. These are the "lucky" ones as they are hundreds of thousands in detention centres, kept there solely to satisfy the organ harvesting trade in China. Corrupted government officials, judiciaries members and military-based hospitals' directors benefited from the sales of organs of Falun Gong people. How?? Organs are forcibly removed from these detainees while they are still semi-conscious and once transplantations are completed, they are killed and the authorities pocketed the monies made, usually from unsuspecting foreigners who are desperate for a second chance in life. More often than not, these patients died from complications once back in their home countries. It is no longer just a China issue but a worldwide issue now. (http://organharvestinvestigation.net) The evil Chinese Communist Party must be toppled in order for the true and pure traditional China to emerge. Thank you for your kind attention.

Jessie Doyle

November 27th, 2007 9:46pm

I was touched moved and inspired by your report. What can I do to help the cause? I only caught part of the programme but would like to know how I can get hold of a copy to watch throughout. Originally I was so shocked I wanted to shame the goverment by enrolling the athlets to boycotte the olymics by sending each of them a copy of your report, with your permission....This led to a breakthrough idea...The olympics being held there next year is an oppotunity to raise awarness and money. The Olymics could be like the United Nations as the world is watching and members from every country are involved. People love to show they care, look at Live Aid and Live 8. A stand for human rights laws to be established in Baijing could be made through some kind of high profile event. I ask again what can I do? How about raising money for the people who are loosing their homes. If there was money for them new homes could be built somewhere safe. I would love to know what you think. If you would like to support these ideas. I would like to inquire further into this as a possibility. Would you let your report be shown to help enrole people into helping? Do you have any ideas/projects that I could get involved with. I see this as a clear and possible oppotunity. Thank you for your time Jessie X

Hallie

January 8th, 2008 9:44pm

I am putting together a film series for Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art and I am interested in viewing this documentary. How can I go about requesting a screener? Thanks very much.

Elizabeth Nash

January 18th, 2008 8:18pm

I tried to watch the Channel 4 transmission of your program, unfortunately and no doubt due to local weather conditions, I was only able to hear and was not able to see your program as the image throughout was distorted; if there is any means by which I can see your program properly please let me know as I would like to write a letter to Gordan Brown whose speech incidently on the channel 4 news that went before your program, I was able to view with interest and without disturbance from local weather condidions. Many thanks

Paul

January 18th, 2008 8:28pm

Having visited China myself i know how strict they are with taking pictures or filming anything they dont want you to - they have guards or security on every corner! The olympics should never have been given to beijing in the 1st place (somewhere where people still cannot openly express their rights)....there should be more focus put on this by the media 9thus resulting in pressure on the chinese government) - espcially with the olympics not too far off.

ar

January 22nd, 2008 12:28pm

Beijings Olympic lie

Jessie Doyle

January 26th, 2008 1:41pm

Since my last letter to you I have found a way to make a stand and would love people to join in and support the cause! If anyone missed Aiden's report it its on www.veoh.com/videos/v1357069DKZqmaty
I am recruiting people to join in a sponsored skydive on 29th Feb, which is Leap Year. To raise money and awarness for the people of Beijing who have been unlawfully evicted from their homes and imprisioned as a result. And to support Amnesty International's campaign to have Human Rights Laws for China by the Olympics 2008. Please sponsore or join in the jump, all welcome. This project has just gained the interest and support of my local paper the Ham&High which is great news. I am also hosting a fund raising event on Chinese New Year 8th Feb at The Torriano, 71-73 Torrianno Avenue, Kentish Town London NW5 Please come along and show your support. Love Jessie X

Rixio

September 7th, 2008 3:13am

Maybe Im late here, but Try to see what your country doesn't want you to see, Lebanon Now, India in the 1800's, Irak, Afghanistan, and many regimes not supported by your government but created by it, All kinds of Colonial invasion and all kind of support to bother against human beings. SO look inside you before criticizing another country, Is not good I know your Idea but is the way people had lived in this country for many years.


The Spectator Parliamentarian Awards
Spectator Book Club
The Spectator Billabong

In this section

How I became Bulgaria’s etiquette guru

Dylan Jones

Dylan Jones is astonished to find in Sofia that the former communist country has embraced his guide to the mores of modern life — and that not everybody looks like Borat

Rudd has lurched from indecision to phoney war

Matthew Castray

Matthew Castray looks back on the Australian Prime Minister’s first year in office and audits an administration which has reviewed much and done very little

Incompetence is fine: but being offensive is sure to get you sacked

Rod Liddle

Rod Liddle says that something has gone wrong when 15 South Lanarkshire social workers are sacked over a dodgy Gary Glitter joke while none of their counterparts in Haringey has even been reprimanded over the ‘Baby P’ case

Brown has played into the hands of the Tory Bullingdon Boys he loathes

Fraser Nelson

Fraser Nelson says that the Pre-Budget Report killed off New Labour without landing a punch on the Tories. It has paved the way for a new Conservatism, in which Cameron woos aspirational voters, focuses on government debt and looks for responsible spending cuts

Sarkozy’s dream of taming America is doomed

Irwin Stelzer

The American model of lightly regulated capitalism may be in disrepute, says Irwin Stelzer. But the French President’s ambition is deluded

Related articles

I will always defend a big spender like J.M. Keynes

Nancy Dell’Olio

Nancy Dell’Olio makes an impassioned case for Keynesian economics as the necessary remedy for the global crisis. It is to the Cambridge economist that we should turn once more

Shared Opinion

Hugo Rifkind

If there really is a secret Zionist brotherhood running the world, why aren’t I a member?

Slow life

Alex James

Life begins

Britain cannot afford a failed Pakistan

Elliot Wilson

Elliot Wilson says that the near-collapse of the Islamic state should focus minds in this country, which is inextricably linked to Pakistan. Its implosion would stoke extremism here

An evening with the Muslim Facebook crew

Sarfraz Manzoor

Sarfraz Manzoor celebrates an iftar meal with homeless people and his fellow Muslims, a web-generated ‘flashmob’ observing an Islamic tradition of generosity to the needy

Spectator recommends

Free Sky Digital Offer - Order Now

Subscribe to Sky from £16 a month. Get free equipment and free broadband - Join Now. Sky HD - be...


Spectator classifieds

ROME CENTRE

PORTA METRONIA, ROME Standing high on the top of one of the seven hills of Rome- the Coelian- this unique

City Breaks. ROME and PARIS

ROME and PARIS: over 350 holiday rentals apartments listed: visit  www.romanreference.com  and  www.parisreference.com or call +39 0648 903612.

Jewellery. RUFFS (Estd. 1904).

Goldsmiths by Design Welcome to Ruffs!  You have found a company of Goldsmiths that specialises in the manufacture, amongst other