China issues human rights action plan

China issued what it called a human rights action plan on Monday, trying to anticipate criticism of its human rights record as the anniversary of the 1989 crackdown on the Tiananmen student demonstrations nears.

Beijing had announced late last year it would present such a document. But its publication now comes just two days ahead of the anniversary of the death of Hu Yaobang, a former reformist leader whose demise in 1989 triggered the student protests ultimately quelled by soldiers with guns and tanks on June 4.

As this year features a series of such sensitive anniversaries, propaganda institutions have taken the initiative since late last year by launching a number of blanket campaigns to highlight the government's achievements and cover dissenting voices with the Communist Party's view of things.

The “Human Rights Action Plan of China (2009-2010) was distributed through state media. Almost half of the lengthy document concentrates on social and economic rights, spelling out government pledges such as to extend social security cover to all citizens and to protect childrens' rights.

The widespread violation of basic political rights such as detentions without trial and torture of detainees is not recognized as a problem outright. The document just states that illegal detentions and the extortion of confessions through torture are forbidden.

This follows a series of jail deaths publicized over the past half year, and repeated harsh criticism from foreign institutions of the practices of China's security authorities and in its legal system. The government has tried to calm the resulting public outcry through pledges to address malpractice by personnel in detention houses, but there has been no open debate of the larger problem of police brutality and extralegal punishments.

Last November, the United Nations Committee against Torture stated that torture was systemic in China and criticized the country's extralegal system of punishments, the so-called re-education through labour – findings angrily rejected by Beijing.

The action plan also pledged to improve the situation of freedom of speech in China, however also without addressing issues of censorship. The government would “ensure that all channels are unblocked to guarantee citizens' right to be heard,” it said. This comes after Youtube, the online video sharing platform owned by Google, remains blocked in China following the uploading of videos last month showing police brutality in Tibet.

Since last year, the government has stepped up its attempts to counter what it perceives as a hostile international media environment with its own version of the story.

The human rights document was put together under the auspices of the Foreign Ministry and the State Council Information Office, one of the main government institutions in charge of propaganda. Despite the pledges to protect detainees' rights and strengthen the legal system, the police and prosecutors' office are not part of the group working on the document.

Xinhua, the official news agency, sent out more than 60 takes on the action plan over the wires on Monday.