Door on freedom of prisoners 'may be closing'
Beijing seems to be rejecting requests from other countries to release inmates, activist says
Beijing appears to have decided to stop accepting lists of prisoners whom foreign governments want released, a prominent human rights advocate says.
John Kamm, a US businessman turned activist who has helped win clemency for many Chinese prisoners, predicted that Beijing might end its regular human rights dialogues with Western nations and Japan.
"I have been advised that a policy decision was made in mid-2012 to no longer accept prisoner lists on the margins of bilateral rights dialogues," Kamm, founder of the Dui Hua Foundation, said in Washington on Friday.
"The days of submitting big lists of prisoners are probably over."
Beijing refused to take one such list during talks with the European Union last year and a Chinese leader told a senior US official, "No one will be released; we don't have to do that any more," according to Kamm.
But Kamm said there could be "some flexibility" in enforcing the policy, adding that his foundation - which is non-governmental and stresses a respectful tone - remained in touch with Chinese officials on prisoners.