Jailhouses rocked: China prisons spark controversy with ‘remote visit app’ which charges US$7 for 20-minute video call with inmates
- Initiative launched by prisons in northern China’s Hebei province allows inmates to have paid-for video calls with families
- Ex-lawyer questions legality and financial transparency of scheme as it involves third-party company
Prisons in a province of China have introduced a “remote visit app” that charges relatives of inmates 50 yuan (US$7) to conduct video call visits, triggering controversy on mainland social media.
On August 7, a former lawyer, surnamed Li, revealed on Weibo that prisons in the northern province of Hebei had implemented the service.
It allows inmates and their family members to have a 20-minute video conversation for which the relatives pay 50 yuan.
However, among other criticisms he had of the scheme, the ex-lawyer pointed out: “If the signal is poor and the call is disconnected, you need to pay another 50 yuan to reconnect.”
Li also questioned the overall legitimacy and financial transparency of the service which is provided to the prisons via a third-party company.
“Several family members interviewed said that even if it cost 500 yuan for each conversation, they would be willing to pay.