Trading in Death (1995)

The Death Penalty in China is increasingly prescribed as a panacea for social ills. Prisoners with death sentences are paraded through the streets with placards advertising their crimes. We profile Muslims, Christians and artists who have suffered discrimination, intimidation and torture. Tang Boqiao fled after the Tiananmen Square massacre. A former PSB (Public Security Bureau) officer reveals that many policemen use electric batons to inflict maximum misery. In court, lawyers have inadequate time to prepare a defence for their clients. A lawyer speaks out against a legal system with a conviction rate of well over 90%. While foreign companies enjoy cheap labour, Chinese workers have few civil rights. If they complain, they are dispatched to bleak labour camps where they undergo 're-education'. Even foreign businessmen are vulnerable. James Peng was sentenced to 17 years after he argued with his Chinese partner. His fate highlights the dangers of dealing with a country that has little respect for individual life.

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