Re-education camps may close, but stigma endures
Those released from administrative punishment system continue to be seen as troublemakers, preventing them from rebuilding their lives
For Ren Jianyu and others released from labour camps, the Communist Party's decision last week to abolish its notorious "re-education through labour" system provides little comfort.
"The municipal government still thinks people like me are the major targets of 'stability maintenance'," said Ren, referring to the state security system to counter dissent and unrest. "Most of our lives have been ripped apart by our time in the camps."
Before August 2011, Ren was a university graduate with a stable job as a village official in Chongqing . He had a good relationship with his high school sweetheart, a local teacher.
His friends were shocked when Ren was suddenly labelled a "subversive" and carted off to a labour camp for posting microblog comments about "dedicating" himself to "the realisation of democracy".
Police found him guilty based on the evidence of a T-shirt found in his closet with a quote from 18th century American revolutionary, Patrick Henry: "Give me liberty or give me death."