The truth about free speech in China

Last Modified: 16 Mar 2007
By: Lindsey Hilsum

There is still a gap in China between the theory and practice of freedom of expression.

It's meant to be the opportunity for China's citizens to have their grievances heard by those in power over them.

But human rights groups say that the right to present petitions to the National People's Congress gives the authorities the chance to pick off their critics, claiming that 700 petitioners have been arrested during this year's event.

It's all very different to the image the Chinese prime minister sought to promote at his annual press conference.

"By developing socialist democracy," said Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, "we mean we must make the people the masters of their own house. To do this, we must ensure the people are entitled to the right of democratic election, decision-making, management and oversight."

China's petition system

On one hand, by law, people are allowed to file grievances and complaints, but on the other, the central government instructs local officials to keep the petitioners at the local level.

Some say provincial officials will be fined if petitioners from their province are found in Beijing. Instead of punishing the local officials for being corrupt, the Beijing authorities will do one of the following -

Refer the petitioners back to their provinces, with a piece of paper saying: 'To whom it may concern: Mr X has come to file a complaint. Please look into it.'
Call the provincial authority to come and collect the petitioners from Beijing. Either way, the local government won't look good to the authorities in Beijing.

In the case of Zheng Dajing, they decided to lock him up.

But rarely has the gap between theory and practice been more evident. Tiananmen Square is surrounded by policemen whose job it is to block or arrest anyone who comes here to protest about exactly the issues that Prime Minister Wen has been highlighting.

Take, for example, Mr Zheng, who we met last week. He had come to Beijing to petition the authorities after thugs he says were hired by corrupt local officials tore down his house in his hometown and imprisoned him and his seven-year-old daughter. Mr Zheng showed us graffiti written by other petitioners.

'We petition according to the law. We're not looking for trouble. The government hunts us like fugitives.'
Zheng Dajing

Yesterday we learnt that Mr Zheng was among some 700 arrested during the National People's Congress. So we went to find him. We had been told he was being held in a building in one of Beijing's alleyways or "hutongs". The sign said it was a hotel.

We found him in a side building, behind bars. He said officials from his hometown had threatened put him in a labour camp.

"They locked me up last night. I wasn't allowed to go to the toilet. They won't tell me how long they're going to keep me. The county has sent two public security officers and another government official to take me back."

So we went looking for the official. Zhou Guodong said his job was to send petitioners back home - and that was exactly what he was going to do with Mr Zheng. He wouldn't answer when we asked about the legal procedure. Mr Zheng's wife and children don't know what to do.

"We petition according to the law. We're not looking for trouble. We have no home now. The government hunts us like fugitives. What law did we break? They break all the laws and get away with it."

Prime Minister Wen promised today to improve the legal system. Maybe one day Chinese people won't have to petition the Communist government as they petitioned the emperor in ancient times. But Prime Minister Wen did say today that achieving a true socialist democracy will take a long time.

Read Bessie Du's blog, Locking up the Petitioner, from the Channel 4 News China bureau, by clicking here.