It is worth mentioning that human rights issues in China are matters that are constantly under discussions and antagonism between two distinct groups. On one hand, there is the government of China alongside the people who support the policies and agenda pushed by the government. On the contrary, there are the human rights activists and critics of the Chinese rule, who have opposing views concerning the human rights issue. The government of China believes that the existing policies regarding human rights are sufficient enough to enable the citizens to enjoy their rights. However, the critics of the Chinese government oppose this and state that the government violates the fundamental rights of the people. Primarily, such groups note that the authorities usually violate such rights that include freedom of movement, freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and freedom of worship. Perhaps the definition of the government of China of human rights is different from the definition by the critics.
In essence, for one to understand the real context of the human rights issue in China, an individual has to analyze the daily life of a person in China. In this way, a person can determine the freedom situation in China. For instance, lawyers who advocate for human rights in a manner that is provocative to the government are arrested and detained for an unspecified time (Perry 37). In fact, the issue has worsened as more than 20 people have been arrested in the last one year for being human rights activists. In other words, the freedoms of speech and expression have been heavily violated in the last one year. In this regard, journalists, the clergy, and the civil society have all been censored from criticizing the government. Apart from that, the government also controls the internet using high technology that consists of sophisticated equipment.
Indeed China has a poor record of human rights. The people who are arrested are usually denied basic need (Perry 37). Some do not have access to medical care and are secluded from other people. Apart from that, they are subjected to harsh treatment by the authorities. Further, the government targets close associates of the activists, including family members and close friends. The smaller communities in the Chinese territories, like those living in the Tibetan region, are constantly harassed by the authorities, and they are treated differently from the other ethnic groups. While carrying out all these operations, the government justifies its actions by evoking national security and stability of the country. In some parts of the country, there is a severe violation of the freedom of worship for Christians and Muslims. Churches and mosques get destroyed, and the Christians and Muslims in these regions get victimized by pro-government people. As a result of this, they live in constant fear for their lives and property.
The constant conflicts between the government of China and the activists resonate with the explanation given by Valentini Laura in her article, “Human Rights, Freedom, and Political Authority: Political Theory.” In the book, she writes that when the government fails to uphold the freedoms of its citizens, there is bound to be interference from both the inside and outside the country (573). The Chinese government has also received criticism from other countries including America.
Works Cited
Perry, Elizabeth J. "Chinese Conceptions of “Rights”: From Mencius to Mao—and Now." Perspectives on Politics, vol. 6, no.01, 2008, pp. 37-50.
Valentini, Laura. "Human Rights, Freedom, and Political Authority." Political Theory, vol. 40, no.5, 2012, pp. 573-601.
