CHINESE HUMAN rights defender Mao Hengfeng was released from “re-education through labour” camp on medical parole on February 22nd, but just two days later she was back in the camp accused of violating the terms of her parole.
According to Ms Mao’s husband, Wu Xuwei, Shanghai Yangpu district police came to their home at about 4pm on February 24th and said they wanted to talk to Ms Mao. They were soon joined by officials from the Anhui province re-education through labour camp where she served her time. Over 30 police surrounded their house.
Chinese security authorities have been on high alert for the past few weeks, fearful that activists might try and stir up anti-government sentiment following the wave of protests in the Middle East and north Africa.
The police told Ms Mao that she had violated the terms of her medical parole, and was being sent back to the camp. She was not allowed to change her clothes or pack anything.
During her stay in prison she was beaten and choked, placed in solitary confinement and has been on hunger strike. She has spent part of her jail time refusing to wear clothes to protest at her treatment.
The laojiao system allows the police to jail everyone from political dissidents to drug addicts to prostitutes for up to four years without going through the courts. It is unpopular among the people.
The system gives the police the power to sentence a person guilty of minor offences such as petty theft or prostitution to up to four years’ in jail without trial. There are 310 re-education centres around the country and about 400,000 people have been imprisoned in the 50 years since the rules were introduced, according to government data, although human rights groups believe the figure is higher.
Ms Mao was initially released because she had high blood pressure, and she also had serious injuries caused by torture she suffered in detention.