Ever since the reforms for a more free and open country have been implemented, China has improved its economic situation and foreign trade has increased. Unfortunately, with regard to human rights, the situation has hardly changed at all, save for a few cosmetic changes to improve the country´s image. Many Chinese products are made in labour camps (laogai) where many of the inmates are prisoners of conscience, imprisoned because of their political views or religious beliefs, and often sentenced without trials. It is also common that their sentences do not have a specified time limit. China does not have a judicial system in the ordinary sense of the word.
The general human rights situation in China is very bad. Censorship and coercion is very common. The Chinese Communist Party completely controls how the media reports. For instance, the official version of the massacre on Tiananmen Square is that no one was killed and the authorities were not at fault in any way. SHRIC believes that China can be influenced on these issues. By spreading information about the violations of human rights and thereby creating public opinion, one can have a positive impact on the country´s development.
Our vision and commitment
SHRIC is a non-government, non-profit organization that supports the development of human rights in China and works for freedom of speech and religious freedom in China.
Our vision is that human rights violations in China will cease. Nobody should be subject to oppression, imprisonment, torture or persecution because of their beliefs, convictions, opinions, nationality, gender, ethnicity or cultural background. Forced labour camps, where people are kept imprisoned for the above mentioned reasons, should never exist. Furthermore, in SHRIC´s view, it is important that all production using inmates of these camps as free labour ceases. No product from China should be manufactured by unpaid persons in a labour camp or under other circumstances, such as exploitation of child labour or lack of human rights at the workplace. Our goal is that China will implement freedom of speech and religious freedom for all its citizens. SHRIC also deems it important that China follows the UN convention on human rights. The organization will cooperate with others who strive for the same goals. SHRIC acts on the global scene and membership is international.