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.

Yahoo! in China: Contradicting its values

Yahoo! was the first major foreign Internet company to enter the Chinese market in 1999.

Microsoft in China: Cosying up to the Government

Of all the Western IT companies operating in China none has better access to the upper echelons of the Chinese Government than Microsoft.

Google in China: Do no evil?

Google arrived in China relatively recently, only setting up a Chinese version of its www.google.com search engine in 2000.

Shi Tao © PEN

Shi Tao – jailed for sending an email

Chinese journalist Shi Tao is serving 10 years in jail after Internet company Yahoo! gave the authorities his personal email account-holder information.

Yang Tongyan

Yang Tongyan – pro-democracy activist and freelance writer

Yang Tongyan wrote web articles in support of democratic and political change in China. A court convicted him of 'subversion' and jailed him for 12 years.

Huang Jinqiu

Huang Jinqiu - Internet essayist and journalist

Huang Jinqiu criticised China and it cost him his freedom. The journalist has been jailed, tortured and beaten.

Ye Guozhu

Ye Guozhu – evicted from his home

Property owner Ye Guozhu is one of the many Beijing residents evicted from their homes to make way for Olympic building work. He spoke out and was put behind bars.

We continue to closley monitor developments in this case and will bring you updates as available.

What the Australian Olympic Committee sponsors say

Here’s a rundown what some of the corporate sponsors of the Australian Olympic Committee have said about human rights and the Olympics. There are also extracts and links to their corporate social responsibility policies.

What the Beijing Olympic sponsors say about CSR

Here’s a rundown what some of the corporate sponsors of the Beijing Olympics have said about human rights and the Olympics. There are also extracts and links to their corporate social responsibility policies.

Bu Dongwei

Bu Dongwei – imprisoned for his beliefs. RELEASED 2008

Bu Dongwei had been tortured, beaten and locked up, all because of his spiritual beliefs. In 2008 Bu Dongwei was released 4 months earlier than his scheduled release date.

A corporate social responsibility Q&A

What international guidelines and organisations have been established to address corporate social responsibility?

These include the United Nations Norms, the United Nations Global Compact and a multi-stakeholder initiative.

© AP/Elizabeth Dalziel

Tiananmen Mothers – human rights defenders

The Tiananmen Mothers are fighting for justice for those killed and injured in an attack on peaceful protestors in Beijing's Tiananmen Square almost two decades ago.

Chen Guangcheng

Chen Guangcheng – human rights defender and legal advisor

When authorities began forcing women from the village of Linyi to have abortions and sterilisations Chen Guangcheng decided to speak up.

Time to tear down the wall

This opinion piece, from our national director Claire Mallinson, was published in The Canberra Times on 24 April 2008:

A number of Australians will exercise a fundamental human right of expression and assembly today, and take part in peaceful protests along the Beijing Olympic torch relay route in Canberra ...

Elizabeth Dalziel/AP/PA Photo

Net censorship: the basics

Over the past decade China has become the world’s largest internet market, but the Government, with the assistance of large internet companies, has succeeded in silencing freedom of expression and dissent, writes Antony Loewenstein.

Towards Beijing: March 2008 update

The recent increase in the number and size of protests over Tibet has led to a formidable counter-attack by the Chinese Government, including the blocking of websites such as YouTube and Yahoo!, writes Antony Loewenstein

© AIA

More about our new campaign to end internet repression in China

There are people in China who need your support. In China, saying what you think, confronting authority, standing up for basic rights or just sharing information can result in imprisonment, torture or death.

What is internet censorship?

Chat rooms monitored. Blogs deleted. Search results re-routed. Websites blocked. That's Internet censorship, China's 'Golden Shield Project'. The Government is watching you.

© Kraig Lieb/LonelyPlanetImags

Violence and discrimination against women

Violence and discrimination against women remains severe in China, according to our most recent reports.