Unofficial survey reveals appalling conditions in China’s detention centres
- Some detainees reported being beaten by guards, going hungry or being deprived of medical treatment
- Lawyers across the country filled in questionnaires after speaking to their clients, with 90 per cent saying they slept in cramped quarters
An unofficial survey on China’s detention centres has confirmed that many detainees are held in appalling conditions and some are maltreated during their incarceration, including being beaten by guards.
Guangzhou-based lawyer Huang Sha sent questionnaires on the conditions of the facilities to about 100 other lawyers across China between July and November, asking them to fill in the surveys on behalf of their clients after speaking to them at the centres.
He received completed questionnaires from about 30 lawyers covering most provinces, regions and municipalities except Tibet, Xinjiang, Gansu, Ningxia, Jilin and Tianjin.
“As far as I know, this is the first [survey] of its kind to look at the conditions of detention centres [in China] in a systematic way,” Huang said.
“Before that, there has been very little information about the detention centres, and [there are no] pictures of them or what facilities they have. You can’t find any of that,” he said.
“This study is meant to let the public know more about the conditions of the facilities.”