No love lost for 're-education through labour' system

Although the mainland's "re-education through labour" system has long been criticised by scholars and rights groups, it was not until last year that hope for change appeared to be in sight.

Several scandals over abuses of the punishment regime received unprecedented coverage in the state media, leading observers to speculate that some in the central government were pushing to reform the system, founded in 1955 during Mao Zedong's reign.

The administrative system gives police the power to send people accused of relatively minor offences - from prostitution to participating in religious cults or criticising the government - to labour camps for up to four years, without trial.

Tang Hui was given 18 months of hard labour in August for campaigning for harsher punishment for the seven people who abducted, raped and forced her 11-year-old daughter into prostitution in Hunan province.

Tang's punishment for "disturbing social order and exerting a negative impact on society" drew a huge public outcry. She was released within days.

An open letter from 10 lawyers urging the government to reform the hard-labour system was subsequently published on the website of the - a highly unusual move that signalled some official support for change.