China moving toward religious freedom? Secret trials suggest otherwise

October 16, 2008

A leading figure in China's Communist party has said that his country plans to expand religious and political freedoms, establishing a real participatory democracy within the next decade. The Australian newspaper, The Age notes that the official "could be a testing of the waters after the chilling effect on debate this year caused by the Tibetan protests." That chilling effect is still being felt, regardless of promises about future religious freedom; 8 Tibetan Buddhist monks have been recently convicted in secret trials and given life sentences.

 

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Further information:

• Reform back on China's post-Olympics agenda (The Age)
• Post-Olympics: more life sentences for Tibetan monks (AsiaNews)