Amnesty International Australia

Crackdown on China’s human rights lawyers deepens

A crackdown on lawyers in China is making legal representation more difficult to find for those who need it.

Google says no to censorship

For 12 months in 2008 Amnesty International Australia took to the streets calling for an end to internet censorship in China. With Google now taking the first steps, Sophie Peer looks at what this means for China's internet users.

Xinjiang - An inevitable explosion

The violence in China's Xinjiang province represents rising tensions and attempts at stripping the Uighur population of its cultural heritage.

New report on press freedom in China

A new report assessing press freedom in China during 2008 has been released by the International Federation of Journalists.

Internet giants bow to China’s porn pressure

Amid international controversy in August 2008 the Chinese Government unblocked many of the usually censored internet sites. What’s the state of play now?

THANK YOU for supporting human rights change in China

2008 was a fantastic opportunity to push for human rights change in China, and together we did just that. Looking at itnernet censorship, the death penalty, torture and unfair trials as well as the freedom of prisoners of conscience.

Amnesty International China reports

Between August 2005 and March 2009 Amnesty International is publishing reports on human rights in China drawing on the promises made by Chinese authorities that the Olympics would see an improvement in human rights. Each report examines the following areas: death penalty, detention in relation to torture and unfair trials, internet repression and media freedom and human rights defenders.

About the Uncensor China campaign

Our Uncensor China campaign was in full swing in the months leading up to the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Thank you to everyone who supported the campaign!

Wo Weihan executed

Wo Weihan, medical scientist aged 59, father of three was executed over the weekend.

Yang Jia has been executed

Chinese media has reported that 28 year old Yang Jia was executed on 26 November.

Guns N’ Roses take on democracy in China

American band, Guns N' Roses have just released their latest album entitled 'Chinese Democracy' to much uproar.

Prisoner of conscience freed!

Bu Dongwei was released from his re-education through labour sentence 4 months earlier. His release was kept quiet to keep him safe.

Get involved

After long-term imprisonment for speaking publicly about human rights issues, Wei Jingsheng was finally released with help from Amnesty International.

Your donation will be used to help individuals from around the world who are suffering from human rights violations.

China tells UN ‘we have zero tolerance for torture’

China avoided the UN's questions and advised they had a policy of 'zero tolerance' towards torture.

Foreign media given some access to Tibet

Australian journalists have been permitted a chaperoned visit to Lhasa, Tibet's capital.

UN questions China on torture

China is due to appear before the UN Committee Against Torture today and officials will be questioned publicly about the use of torture.

China announces human rights plan

In an unprecedent announcement, Chinese officials have stated there will be national plan to improve human rights protection in the country.

Danger for Falun Gong practitioners in Australia

The lack of freedoms in China have a real link to Australia in the form of Falun Gong practitioners seeking asylum here.

Meet Nu Wa 怒娃

Like the monkey in traditional Chinese culture, "Nu Wa" – the Uncensor China campaign mascot – is strong willed, cheeky, energetic, sporting and intelligent. Nuwa, means outraged, angry young boy.

Upload your media

Amnesty International Australia's Uncensor campaign actions around Australia and online the net.

What you can do

Whether you have five minutes or a couple of days to spare there are a number of ways you can help support our campaign to end internet censorship in China.

Defending human rights

Standing up for what you believe in can be extremely dangerous in China. Defending human rights - even peacefully - can result in house arrest, surveillance, imprisonment, torture and execution. Ordinary people have their phones tapped, homes raided, assets frozen and businesses closed. Sometimes their relatives are harassed or tortured in secret detention centres, or even executed for vague crimes.

End the death penalty

In the seven years since China won its bid to host the Olympic Games, the government has executed thousands of people. Few people sentenced to death get a fair trial. The Chinese system doesn't presume innocence. It uses evidence extracted under torture. It restricts access to lawyers. It’s common for trials to last under an hour. Often there is political inference.

Among the victims are people like Nie Shubin, a young farmer put to death for a murder which someone else later confessed to.

Torture and detention without trial

Imagine being locked away for years, yet never being charged or speaking to a lawyer. Imagine that while you are locked up the officials burn you with cigarettes, give you electric shocks, deprive you of sleep and leave you shackled for hours in excruciatingly painful positions. It may sound unimaginable, but for the people of China this is a reality.

Internet censorship

Expressing an opinion online in China can result in jail, torture and even death. Chat rooms are monitored. Blogs are deleted. Search results are re-routed. Websites are blocked. The government is watching your every move.

China in the headlines – 31 October 2008

In the latest wrap-up from news outlets and bloggers across the globe:

• The China Digital Times looks at how efforts to control information and shape online public opinion are evolving.

• The Dalai Lama's envoys head to Beijing for talks with Chinese officials.

• A Chinese business weekly has filed a lawsuit against the regional government, after it was shut down for stories it ran about a major state bank.

Plus …

Internet companies take one small step, but not enough

Yahoo, Microsoft and Google have agreed to a code of conduct about how they do business in countries such as China, which restrict free speech.

The state of Chinese journalism

Hong Kong University's journalism program director, Ying Chan, talks about developments in the media in China.

China in the headlines – 29 October 2008

In the latest wrap-up from news outlets and bloggers across the globe:

• China says it's still looking at talks with Tibet envoys, despite the Dalai Lama saying he has lost hope of agreement.

• More reaction to the news that jailed Chinese rights activist Hu Jia has been awarded a major human rights prize.

• Experience first-hand what Internet censorship is like for those living in Mainland China.

Plus …

Calls to stop Yang Jia’s execution

Chinese man Yang Jia could be put to death within a little as a week.