China allows first ever visit by special UN investigator on torture

[Judi Lynn]

August 23, 2005 - 22:16

China allows first ever visit by special UN investigator on torture

GENEVA (AP) - For the first time, China will let a top United Nations official visit detention centres as part of an investigation into torture allegations, the UN human rights agency said Tuesday.

Manfred Nowak, the UN Human Rights Commission's special investigator on torture, will visit China from Nov. 21 to Dec. 2 to meet government officials and get a firsthand look at detention centres.

"There are all kinds of allegations ranging from Falun Gong people to dissidents about the treatment in re-education through labour camps," Nowak told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "I want to verify or falsify them as much as possible."

Nowak said he was pleased China had "finally accepted a visit, after years of negotiations," and said Beijing had not stipulated any conditions for his trip.
(snip/...)

http://www.macleans.ca/topstories/news/shownews.jsp?content=w082393A

[BayCityProgressive]

1. wow

wonder why the change of heart?

[wli]

2. because they can clearly humiliate the US on the human rights front n/t

[ConcernedCanuk]

3. This should bring Abu Ghraib and Gitmo back to the forefront

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where they belong!!

From the posted Article:

"While China outlawed torture in 1996, activists and lawyers say it is widely practised in the country. But China's parliament recently has enacted new rules limiting police interrogations to 12 hours in a new effort to limit abuses after a series of highly publicized complaints."
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time fer da USSA to pony up

HAS the USSA "outlawed" torture?

or just "redefined" it . . .

hmmmmmmm