BEIJING – China signaled again on Monday that it may put an end to its "re-education through labor," a system that police here use to cast people, without trial or recourse, into a system of labor camps infamous for abuse.
A government legal adviser has confirmed that the use of the program "will be tightly restricted, with lawmakers expected to approve its abolition this year," according to an article published by state media Monday.
Re-education through labor, established in the 1950s, lets police send Chinese to camps for up to four years. It's been used to crack down on a wide range of behavior, including religious activity and political activism. Some official reports say 60,000 Chinese currently toil within the system. Others cite a figure of 160,000 as of 2008.
– McClatchy Newspapers
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