News Sites Delete Story About Jia Jiuxiang, Official Who Died in Communist Party Custody

On April 25, 2013, the state-sponsored Global Times published an English language article entitled "Official Dies in Custody, Family Wants Answers." An excerpt:

The family of a senior court official from the city of Sanmenxia (三门峡), Henan Province who died Tuesday while being detained by the city's commission for discipline inspection, said his body was bruised and is demanding a thorough investigation.
Jia Jiuxiang (贾九翔), who was vice president of the Sanmenxia City Intermediate People's Court, was detained on April 12 and died 11 days later after being sent to the hospital for emergency treatment.
The court and the commission declined to discuss Jia's cause of death or reveal why he was in custody when reached by the Global Times.
Jia's son, Jia Tianran, told the Global Times that he believes his father was tortured and beaten to death, as his father's body was covered with bruises and his wrists showed signs of being tightly bound.

On April 24, the print edition of the state-sponsored Beijing Times published an article entitled "Sanmenxia Intermediate People's Court Vice President Dies While Under Communist Party Detention, Family Says His Body Was Covered in Injuries and Blocked From Taking Photos" (三门峡中院副院长双规期间死亡,家属称其满身伤痕要求拍照被拒绝). These screenshots show that it has been deleted.

Original URL: http://epaper.jinghua.cn/html/2013-04/24/content_1984716.htm

The Global Times reposted the article. But as this video shows, it has since deleted the article.

Original URL: http://china.huanqiu.com/local/2013-04/3866020.html

On April 25, the print edition of the state-sponsored Beijing News published an article entitled "Official Dies While Detained by Communist Party, Officials Say It Was a Heart Attack" (官员双规期间死亡 官方称心脏病突发). These screenshots show that it has since been deleted.

Original URL: http://epaper.bjnews.com.cn/html/2013-04/25/content_428808.htm

2013 Sichuan Earthquake: Sina Weibo Censors "Earthquake Three Gorges"

On December 12, 2005, the People's Daily web site published a report from China's official news agency Xinhua entitled "Experts: Three Gorges Project Didn't Trigger Earthquake in East China's Jiangxi Province." An excerpt:

Chinese experts lashed out Friday at a report claiming that the Three Gorges Project triggered last weekend's earthquake in east China's Jiangxi Province, calling it "sheer speculation without any scientific foundation."
"Scientific studies show that the Three Gorges Project didn't trigger the earthquake in Jiujiang City of Jiangxi Province," Dr. Qin Xiaojun, a seismologist and spokesman for the Hubei Provincial Seismological Bureau currently in Jiujiang for disaster appraisal, told Xinhua.

On June 27, 2012, the state-sponsored Global Times published an article entitled "Power Plants Not Quake Factories." An excerpt:

Yunnan authorities said on Monday that the earthquake that struck the border of Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, killing four and injuring 150, was not related to the ongoing construction of hydroelectric plants along the Jinsha River.
. . . .
A geologist agreed with the Yunnan authorities, dismissing on Sunday the blame being put on the plant's construction, though he warned of potential future disasters when the plants come online.
"Hydroelectric plants can lead to serious earthquakes only when they are completed and the dams start to fill up with water. However, the plants near the epicenter are still under construction now," Fan Xiao, a geologist with the Sichuan Bureau of Geological Exploration and Exploration of Mineral Resources, told the Global Times.
"As the dams begin to fill with water in the next decade, there will be a high possibility of earthquakes happening. The water in the dam will press down on the rocks below, potentially causing a slip among the fault line, which could lead to an earthquake. The water can also infiltrate the rock bed, which may also set off a quake," Fan said.

On April 20, 2013, Xinhua reported:

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Lushan county of Ya'an city in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 8:02 a.m. Saturday Beijing Time, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).
The epicenter, with a depth of 13 km, was monitored at 30.3 degrees north latitude and 103.0 degrees east longitude.

This screenshot, taken on April 27, shows that Sina Weibo was censoring searches for "Earthquake Three Gorges."

2013 Sichuan Earthquake: Web Sites Censor Reporting and Discussion of Party Official's Wristwatch Tan Line

On April 23, 2013, the state-sponsored Global Times published an article entitled "Lushan Official Just in Time for Scandal." An excerpt:

A Lushan county official found himself at the center of controversy on April 23 after sleuthing netizens noticed in online photos that he had taken off his luxury watch while leaders from the central government visited the quake-shaken area in Sichuan Province.
A photo taken of Fan Jiyue, party leader of Lushan county, while accompanying Premier Li Keqiang overseeing quake-relief work on April 21, revealed visible tan lines on Fan's left wrist. Web users assumed that Fan had secretly taken off his expensive watch before he met with the Premier.

These screenshots, taken on April 22, show that Sina Weibo was censoring searches for "Fan Jiyue" (范继跃) and "Lushan County Party Secretary" (芦山县委书记).

These screenshots show that Tencent Weibo began censoring searches for "Fan Jiyue" some time between April 23 and April 24.

These screenshots show that the moderator(s) of Baidu's "Fan Jiyue" PostBar (Tieba 贴吧) forum deleted several posts showing the image of Fan's missing watch.

 This screenshot, taken on April 23, shows that an article entitled "Lushan Country Party Secretary's Wristwatch Tan Line Earns Him Nickname 'No Watch Brother'" (芦山县委书记手腕表印引关注 被称“无表哥”) has been removed from Tencent's web site and replaced with a 404 error page.

Original URL: http://news.qq.com/a/20130422/001495.htm

These screenshots, taken on April 27, show that both Sina and Tencent were censoring weibo searches for "No Watch Brother," but not for "Watch Brother."

2013 Sichuan Earthquake: Images of Victims With Signs Saying "I'm Cold I'm Hungry" Censored

This screenshot was taken on April 24, and shows that a search on Sina Weibo for "I'm cold I'm hungry" returned no results, just a censorship notice.

On April 20, 2013, the state-sponsored China Daily reported:

More than 100 people were killed and thousands injured after a strong quake struck southwest China's Sichuan Province Saturday morning, triggering massive rescue efforts.
The 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Lushan county of Ya'an City in the province at 8:02 am Saturday Beijing Time. At least 156 people were killed, according to the China Earthquake Administration on Saturday afternoon.
More than 5,500 people were injured, according to a statement from the Lushan county publicity department at Saturday noon, adding that about 140,000 people will have to be relocated.
The epicenter of the quake, with a depth of 13 km, was monitored at 30.3 degrees north latitude and 103.0 degrees east longitude. It is one of the most destructive earthqukes in China in recent years. A 8.0-magnitude quake in Wenchuan county in Sichuan Province left 87,000 dead or missing in May 12, 2008.

On April 23, the state-sponsored Southern Metropolis Daily published an article on its web site entitled "Disaster Victims Blocked by Broken Transportation Lines Assemble to Call Out 'I'm Cold, I'm Hungry'." (交通受阻受灾民众聚集拉幅称“我冷我饿”). According to the article the featured photo showed: "Disaster victims in Lingguan village, Baoxing county, Sichuan, holding up banners saying 'I'm cold I'm hungry' have drawn the attention and support of many." (四川省宝兴县灵关镇，受灾民众举着“我冷饿”的横幅，呼吸各方支持和关注。)

This screenshot was taken on April 24, and shows that article was removed from the web site.

Original URL: http://ndphotos.oeeee.com/album/201304/23/3870.html

These screenshots show the same article was also removed from the China.com web site.

Original URL: http://news.china.com/zh_cn/hd/11127798/20130423/17796167.html

These screenshots show that on April 24 at 1:20 pm a search on Tencent Weibo for "I'm cold I'm hungry" returned 15 results. Two hours later, Tencent claimed it could not find any results for the same search.

These screenshots show one of the original search results was deleted during the same two hour period.

China's Weibos Censor Discussion About Party Journal Article Calling for More Party Control of Weibos

On April 10, 2013, Red Flag Journal (红旗文稿), a magazine published by the Communist Party's flagship magazine Seeking Truth, published an article entitled "Target the Two Venues of Public Discourse, Solidify the Positive Energy of Society" (统筹两个舆论场 凝聚社会正能量). The article was authored by Ren Xianliang (任贤良), acting vice-minister of Shaanxi province’s propaganda department. Some excerpts:

In today's China, subjectively speaking there exist two venues for public discourse. One comprises traditional media venues such as the platform of Party newspapers, magazines, broadcasters, and press agencies. The other is the new media that is founded on the Internet. For some time now the core disseminations and expressed appeals of these two venues' have been at odds with one another, and this has not only directly challenged the bottom-line principle that the Party controls the media, but has also led to social divisions and confrontations based on class, severe damage to the government's credibility, and corrosive weakening of the fundamental principle that the Party governs the State.
. . . .
What is particularly serious is that some powers have manipulated online discourse, fabricating political rumors, maliciously tarnishing the image of the Party and the government, undermining the foundations of the Party's governance over the State. The 2013 "Southern Weekend" New Year's Greeting incident brazenly challenged the Party's system of controlling the news. Some staff used the Internet to launch their own "personal media" with speech that was "unrestrained" and that "contravened all norms," and their influence as just as great as that of a newspaper or wire service. It is as if others can raise up the anti-corruption banner, wave a "reporter" flag without journalist credentials, use foreign registered web sites, and then "re-import the goods-made-for-export" and use violent means to coerce and hijack local Party committees and governments. Some people have even likened to the chaotic online environment to an "online cultural revolution."
. . . .
The abrupt rise of the Internet and other new media, especially the appearance of blogs and weibos and other forms of personal media, has in fact undermined policies that banned private media and prohibited cross-border
oversight. Certain VIP weibo users frequently have tens, if not hundreds, of thousands, even millions, of followers, and go so far as to launch micro-magazines and micro-television channels. Online video is particularly subject to extraordinary blow-ups, with the power to propagate and influence that greatly exceeds print media and even radio and television.
. . . .
The Party controls the media, the Party controls public discourse, these are unshakeable fundamental principles for maintaining the Party's leadership, no less than the Party party controls the military and the Party controls the barrels of the guns. And given current circumstances it can only be strengthened, it cannot be relaxed.
. . . .
When it comes to control, it is necessary to boldly confront all obstacles, even those powerful media outlets, famous web sites, bloggers, and micro-bloggers. Warn those who need warning, ban those who need banning, and silence those who need silencing. As soon as there is any violation of law, rules, or discipline, resolutely handle it in accordance with the law, and show no mercy. It is only by using the law to manage new media formats, including the Internet, in the same manner as is done with real-world society, that we can turn it to our own ends and not be subject to external threats. Only then can give the public an online world that is ordered, civilized, and healthy.
. . . .
Online "opinion leaders" represent the aspirations of a sizable portion of the crowd. The are the focus of much public attention, and hold great sway over users' moods and online opinion. Administrative agencies must adopt many different methods to transform, foster, and cultivate "opinion leaders" who understand, approve of, and praise the general and specific policies of the Party and the government, and use them to influence Internet users and guide public opinion. At the same time, get Party cadres online, launch micro-blogs and speak on behalf of the Party and the government, and cultivate our own online "speech leadership," and occupy the the new public opinion battlefield of this new media. 

当下中国，客观存在着两个舆论场，一个是以党报党刊党台、通讯社为主体的传统媒体舆论场，一个是以互联网为基础的新兴媒体舆论场。两个舆论场传播基调和诉求表达长期分离对立，不仅直接挑战党管媒体的原则底线，而且导致社会阶层分裂对峙、政府公信力严重受损、党的执政基础腐蚀削弱。
. . . .
更为严峻的是，一些势力操纵网络舆论，编造政治谣言，恶意抹黑党和政府形象，瓦解党的执政根基。2013年“南周”新年献词事件，公然挑战党的新闻管理制度。而一些人员利用网络创设“个人媒体”，言论行为“无拘无束”、“无法无天”，其影响力不亚于一份报刊、一家通讯社。如个别人打着反腐旗帜，没记者证却打着“记者”的旗号，通过在境外注册网站，然后“出口转内销”，用爆料手段，要挟、绑架地方党委政府。有人甚至将网上的乱象称之为一场“网上文化大革命”。
. . . .
网络等新兴媒体的崛起，特别是博客、微博等自媒体的出现，事实上瓦解了不准私人办媒体、禁止异地监督等政策规定。一些微博大V，动辄几十万、成百万乃至上千万粉丝，甚至办起了微刊、微电台，网上视频更是异常火爆，其传播力和影响力大大超过了平面媒体甚至广播电视。
. . . .
党管媒体、党管舆论，如同党管军队、党管枪杆子，是坚持党的领导不可动摇的基本原则，尤其是在当前形势下只能加强、不能放松。
. . . .
即使对那些强势媒体、知名网站和名人博主、微博大V，在管理上也必须敢于碰硬，该警告的警告，该禁言的禁言，该关闭的关闭。只要违法违规违纪，就坚决依法处理，决不手软。只有将包括网络在内的新兴媒体，像现实社会一样依法管理起来，才能为我所用、不受其害，也才能还公众一个规范有序、文明健康的网络世界。
. . . .
网上“意见领袖”代表了相当数量拥趸的心声，公众关注度高，对网民情绪和网络舆论影响很大。管理部门要采取多种手段，转化、扶植和培育一大批理解、认同、赞成党和政府路线方针政策的“意见领袖”，通过他们来影响网民、引导舆论。同时，要倡导党员干部上网、开微博，替党和政府说话，培养我们自己网上的“说话领袖”，占领新媒体这一新的舆论阵地。

The article originally appeared at this URL: http://www.qstheory.cn/hqwg/2013/201307/201304/t20130410_222170.htm. But it was deleted from there and subsequently republished at this URL: http://www.qstheory.cn/hqwg/2013/201307/201304/t20130413_223026.htm.

The following day, the state-sponsored Southern Metropolitan Daily drew attention to Ren's piece by publishing an article entitled "Shaanxi Official: Some Online Discourse is Being Manipulated, When It Comes to VIP Microbloggers, Silence Those Who Need Silencing" (陕西官员：一些网络舆论被操纵 微博大V该关就关). These screenshots show that the article, originally available here - http://ndnews.oeeee.com/html/201304/11/46487.html - was quickly deleted.

These screenshots were taken on April 12, and show that Sina Weibo and Tencent Weibo were censoring searches for "Ren Xianliang."

These screenshots were taken on April 13, and show that Sina Weibo and Tencent Weibo were censoring searches for "Being Manipulated" and "Silence Those Who Need Silencing."

Sina Weibo Begins Censoring "24th Anniversary"

These screenshots show that Sina Weibo began censoring searches for "24th Anniversary" (24周年) at some time between January 28 and April 20, 2013.

Billionaire Liu Han Investigated, Sina Weibo and News Search Engines Censor Results for His Name

On March 24, 2013, the state-sponsored Global Times published an article entitled "Hanlong Chair Probed." Some excerpts:

The chairman of China's Hanlong Mining, Liu Han, is under police investigation for harboring his brother before the latter's arrest on suspicion of murder, Xinhua reported Saturday. 

Xinhua, quoting police sources, said Saturday Liu was being investigated for possibly hiding evidence, among other "serious" criminal offences.

These screenshots show that, as early as March 21, Sina Weibo was censoring searches for "Liu Han" (刘汉), it then stopped censoring by March 24, was saying it could not find any results on March 29, and had resumed censorship by April 22.

These screenshots show that searches for "Liu Han" on Qihoo 360 News, Baidu News and Sogou News on March 29 returned no results, no results, and a censorship notice, respectively.

Baidu and Sina Censor Searches and Block Discussion of Hu Yaobang on 24th Anniversary His Death

April 15, 2013, was the 24th anniversary of the death of Hu Yaobang (胡耀邦), who was Chairman of the Communist Party from 1981 to 1982, then as Party General Secretary from 1982 to 1987. According to a 2012 article entitled "Thousands Mourn for Hu Yaobang in Jiangxi" published by the state-sponsored magazine Caijing: "After his death in 1989, 100000 students marched on the Tiananmen Square, which is later called the Tiananmen Square Protest in 1989."

These screenshots were taken on April 15, 2013, and show that Sina Weibo was censoring searches for "Hu Yaobang," and Baidu was banning users from establishing PostBar (Tieba 贴吧) forums about Hu.

These screenshots, taken on April 20, show that Baidu was censoring searches for "Hu Yaobang Tiananmen" (胡耀邦 天安门) and "Hu Yaobang Rehabilitate" (胡耀邦 平反), but not for "Hu Yaobang Tianan" (胡耀邦 天安) or "Hu Yaobang Ordinary" (胡耀邦 平凡 - "Ordinary" is homophonous with "Rehabilitate").

Sina Weibo Censors Searches for "Hong Kong Dock Workers Strike"

On April 8, 2013, the state-sponsored Global Times published an article entitled "Rise to the Occasion," with a photo captioned: "Dock workers and their supporters demand a 20-percent pay rise in the largest strike in Hong Kong in six years on Sunday."

These screenshots, taken on April 15, 2013, show that Sina Weibo was censoring searches for "Hong Kong Dock Workers Strike" (香港码头工人罢工), but not for "Dock Workers Strike" (码头工人罢工).

By April 20, Sina Weibo had stopped this censorship.

Web Sites Censor News, Discussion of Xi Jinping's Taxi Ride (That Apparently Never Happened)

On the morning of April 18, 2013, several state-sponsored media outlets, including the Global Times and China.org.cn (operated by the State Council's Information Office) published an article entitled "'Taxi, Taxi', for China's Xi Jinping." An excerpt:

Chinese President Xi Jinping decided to take a taxi ride on the evening of March 1 in downtown Beijing and was recognized by the taxi driver whilst chatting together in the car, the Hong Kong-based Ta Kung Pao reports.
The taxi-driver, 46-year-old Guo Lixin, is from Pinggu district in suburban Beijing. Guo, who has been driving his taxi for about 8 years, says he vividly remembers the ride with President Xi.
Guo recalls that it was already dark at about 7:00pm. He had just parked his car near the Gulou (drum tower) west street in Xicheng district for a little while when two male passengers got into his car; one sitting on the passenger seat and the other on the rear seat.
. . . .
Guo's esteemed passenger also said that the government is determined to deal with the issue of pollution and improve people's health, but noted that it takes time to implement all the pollution-control measures and acknowledged that the process has also been prolonged and painful even in the most advanced economies of the world.
At that point, Guo began to notice that the passenger's remarks were unusual for a general member of the public.

These screenshots show that the web sites had removed the story the same day.

Original URLs:

• http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/775851.shtml
• http://www.china.org.cn/china/2013-04/18/content_28580363.htm

Xinhua also published an article entitled "Xi Jinping's Beijing 'Incognito Private Tour'" (习近平“微服私访”在北京打的) with an image captioned "'Cabbie' Guo Lixin standing in front of his home shown reporters the original 'smooth sailing' note he said was given to him by General Secretary Xi." (“的哥”郭立新在自家门口向记者展示他所称习总为他提写的“一帆风顺”原件。)

These screenshots show that that Xinhua deleted the story the same day.

Original URL: http://www.ln.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2013-04/18/c_115439108.htm

At 5:30 pm Xinhua published a notice stating that the story was false.

These screenshots show that Sina Weibo began censoring searches for "Incognito Private Tour" (微服私访) on April 18.

These screenshots were taken on April 18, and show additional examples of Weibo censorship relating to the story.

Sina Weibo Censored "Guo Lixin" (郭立新)

Sina Weibo Censored "Smooth Sailing" (一帆风顺)

Sina Weibo Censored "Xi Fake News" (习 假新闻）

Sina Weibo Censored "Xi Taxi" (习 出租车）

Tencent Weibo Censored "Smooth Sailing" (一帆风顺)

Tencent Weibo Censored "Xi Jinping Incognito Private Tour" (习近平 

微服私访)

State Media Publishes Editorial on Relationship Between Censorship and Ex-Railways Minister Liu Zhijun's Corruption

On January 28, 2011, the state-sponsored Caixin Magazine published an article entitled "Successful Shanxi Rail Magnate Under Scrutiny." Some excerpts:

Ding Shumiao is a successful businesswoman, celebrated philanthropist and so well-connected that more than 400 central government and Communist Party leaders attended a huge Spring Festival celebration in early 2010 sponsored by her coal-railway-advertising conglomerate.
. . . .
Caixin learned from several sources that authorities in Beijing are probing Ding. Whether police agencies are involved is unclear. Neither is it certain whether her high-level network of personal connections may offer a degree of protection.
Ding, 55, is also a member of the Shanxi Province branch of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
After Ding came under an investigative cloud, several sources expressed concern about her "complicated" connections to top officials. Some said the case "may involve something much bigger."
. . . .
But questions have swirled around her successful enterprise Shanxi Jinhande, whose name was recently change to CREC Taikete Environmental Engineering Co. Ltd., and which has won lucrative contracts to supply noise barriers that line China's high-speed railway tracks.
Investigators are apparently looking into Jinhande's previous deals related to several major railway projects.
. . . .
In 2008, Jinhande won the bid for China's first express railway project – Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Railway. CREC and Jinhande submitted winning bids for the line's noise barrier as well as barriers for a Hefei-Wuhan railway. The contracts were worth a combined 836 million yuan.

On April 11, 2013, the state-sponsored Global Times published an article entitled "Ex-Railway Minister Charged." An excerpt:

Liu Zhijun, the former minister of railways, was charged with bribe-taking and abuse of power on Wednesday, more than two years after the controversial figure was removed from his post. 

The Second Branch of the Beijing People's Procuratorate Wednesday filed the charges against Liu with the Beijing Second Intermediate People's Court. The court has accepted the case and will set a trial date, the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

Liu, 60, had been under investigation for serious disciplinary violations since February 2011, when he was dismissed from the post. He was stripped of his Communist Party of China membership in May 2012.

The same day the state-sponsored Economic Observer published an editorial entitled "How Liu Zhijun Was Able to Get Away With it For So Long" (我们的社会盛产刘志军式的奇葩).  Some excerpts:

Liu’s story is the result of a twisted political environment that’s generated, and will continue to generate, such incredible cases.  

In the absence of democratic elections, Chinese officials turn to nepotism. This means if they want to get promoted, they’ll look to a higher official rather than the people they’re responsible for. They’ll also forge political alliances that will come in handy when the heat is on. 

. . . . 

So why was Liu so lucky? It was because he had very high level protection. 

The media had the least freedom to talk about the rail system during Liu’s term. Several journalists from CCTV told me that authorities banned all criticism of the Ministry of Railways. One example was when many scholars and experts recommended a real name ticket booking system in order to crack down on ticket scalping. However, the Ministry of Railways banned discussion not only within its own system, but also in mainstream media. 

I once personally published an article entitled “Five Reasons That Liu Zhijun Should Take Blame and Resign.” It was deleted on major web portals without explanation. I later found out that Liu had directed his subordinates to buy over journalists and build “cooperation” with mainstream media, as well as work with other departments to bury criticism.

This screenshot was taken in 2011, and shows a series of posts from 2010 on a China-based forum entitled "Application to Block an ID." The first post notes that the forum has already deleted a post entitled "What is the Connection Between Jinhande Environmental Equipment Company and a Billionheiress?" (金汉德环保设备公司与百亿女富豪的关系?) and asks another post from the same user entitled "Shanxi Jinhande Company --- Fears That 2.3 Billion Tender for Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway Sound Barriers Was Illegal" (山西金汉德公司---23亿京沪高铁声屏障恐将非法招标) be deleted, and that the user's account be shut down.

The second post replies: "Thank you Manager, this has already been taken care of."

These screenshots were taken on February 13, 2011, and show that, while searches for "Fears That Tender for High Speed Railway Sound Barriers Was Illegal" (高铁声屏障恐将非法招标) on Yahoo.cn returned no results, the same search on Yahoo.com returned four results.

These screenshots show that Baidu stopped censoring search results for "Liu Zhijun" (刘志军) some time between February 14 and March 28, 2011. Prior to that, Baidu was restricting search results to state-run media outlets and large web sites licensed by the PRC government.

These screenshots were taken on April 15, 2013, and show that Baidu continues to ban users from establishing PostBar (Tieba 贴吧) forums on Liu Zhijun.

Web Sites Censor Articles, Discussion About Abuse at Masanjia Re-education Through Labor Facility

The April 2013 edition of the China-based Lens Magazine included an article entitled "Leaving Masanjia." (走出"马三家") Here is an excerpt from the introduction that was made available to non-subscribers online on April 6:

The re-education through labor system has been around for 57 years, during which time it has been an infection on the carcass of China's legal system that will not heal. Now we are finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. Lens Magazine has turned its focus on the Masanjia Women's Womens Re-Education Through Labor Facility, and through research and interviews with various parties, tries to give readers an overview of how those subjected to re-education through labor live their lives behind those high walls. Its not possible to capture all of the various circumstances in this 20,000 word report, much less the four words "Re-eduction Through Labor." 

In early February 2013, a woman petitioner who had recently been released from re-eduction through labor found Wang Zhen, from Dalian, and passed him a "letter of appeal" written in tiny characters on wrinkled paper. This was an open letter sent from the re-education through labor facility calling for the elimination of re-education through labor, and the signatories included Wang Zhen's wife, Liu Yuling. Liu Yuling had been sentenced to re-education through labor in August, 2012, was still being held at the Masanjia re-education through labor facility in Liaoning. 

长达57年的劳教制度，是中国法治社会躯体上经久不愈的病灶，眼下终于即将走到终点。Lens杂志以辽宁马三家女子劳教所为观察点，根据多条线索、对不同身份者的采访，约略还原劳教人员在高墙内的生活轨迹。个中情形，既非“劳动教养”四字所能概括，也非这组两万多字的报道所可尽言。
2013年2月初，一位新近解除劳动教养的女访民找到大连人王振，交给他一封用蝇头小字写在皱巴巴纸上的“呼吁书”。这是一封从劳教所发出的要求废除劳教公开信，签名者中包括王振的妻子刘玉玲。刘玉玲2012年8月被判劳教，眼下仍在辽宁马三家女子劳动教养所里羁押。

These screenshots show that the introduction, originally available here - http://www.lensmagazine.com.cn/reporting/focus/7607.html - has since been removed from the website.

On April 11, the state-sponsored China Women's Daily published an article entitled "Facing the Truth, Promoting Reform of the Re-education Through Labor System - A Chat With Journalist Yuan Ling, Author of 'Leaving Masanjia'." (直面真相 推动劳教制度改革 对话《走出“马三家”》采写记者袁凌). Some excerpts:

The report reflected how the Masanjia re-education through labor facility illegally accepted those who were severely ill and those who had lost the ability to work, forcing them to perform excessively strenuous work. Petitioners sentenced to re-education through labor are subjected to punishments in mandated by re-education through labor such as "instruction rooms," handcuffs, and electric prods. They are also subjected to things invented at the Masanjia re-education through labor facility, such as handcuff extended to allow for "hanging," "torture racks," and force-feeding and restraining "death beds" for re-education through labor prisoners who go on hunger strike. Things that simply cannot be expressed in just four words: "re-education through labor." 

. . . . 

Reporter: What things left the deepest impression on you in the process of writing the article? 

Yuan Ling: It was the first time I heard a woman re-education through labor prisoner talk about "stretching," "torture racks," and "death beds." At the time she was already crippled, and half her body wouldn't work normally, it was all withered like a tree. But when she talked about her experiences, her eyes just lit up, like she was gaining spiritual support just trying to put it into words. It just so happened that she wasn't from Masanjia, she was from Heilongjiang. Later on I understood that everything she talked about was also happening in the Masanjia re-education through labor facility. That proved that "stretching," "torture racks," and "death beds" weren't unique to the Masanjia re-education through labor facility.  

My meeting with Mei Qiuyu also left a pretty deep impression. She strikes you as very warm, virtuous, and vulnerable southern woman. She is not like your average petitioner, and manages to retain a kind of gentle dignity, despite all of the trials life has thrown at her. She is very attentive, and knows how to pickle vegetables and make tofu. She experienced extreme violence at the re-education through labor facility, and in her you see a woman's delicacy and perseverance. 

Afterwards, I talked on the phone with a prisoner in a Liaoning re-education through labor facility. Her experience was pretty common: "stretching," "instruction rooms," "torture racks," "death beds," it seemed like she had suffered every kind of punishment, and now she's missing one of her front teeth. At the time, one of woman editors overheard a bit of the conversation and stood up and walked out. After the interview was over, she told me the interview was too terrifying, and made her shake with fear. If it had all been written out, there would have been know way anyone could read it all the way through. In fact, the person I was interviewing was also a woman, and at the time we were just calmly discussing some details over the phone. When an ordinary woman is faced with this, she feels extremely terrified, and can't bear it. You can imagine how the things those women experienced in the re-education through labor facilities must weigh very heavily, even as they remain very calm as they describe it. 

Reporter: Those women that you wrote about and met who were imprisoned in the Masanjia re-education through labor facility, what is it that brought them together? 

Yuan Ling: Many of them were petitioners. At the very begining they were all very ordinary. For example, Wang Guilan was a seamstress, and Wang Yuping was a high level businesswoman. They each had their own reasons for petitioning, running up against various circumstances that could not be resolved that led them to petition, and because of their petitioning they were sentenced to re-education through labor. This in turn led to ever deeper feelings of agitation. There are fundamental problems with the petitioning and re-education through labor systems, and this happens against a backdrop of a legal system that is incomplete. Would they need to go out and petition if they were able to use legal channels and get court judgment in a lawsuit that is reasonable and just? Their rights can't be guaranteed. Their lives are changed because of petitioning and re-education through labor. 

报道反映了马三家女子劳教所违规接收严重患病或丧失劳动能力者，被劳教人员在劳教所中超强度劳动。因上访被劳教者遭受见于劳教规定的惩戒室（“小号”）、手铐、电棍等惩戒措施，还遭受马三家劳教所各种名目的发明，如手铐延伸使用的“大挂”、“老虎凳”、对绝食的劳教人员灌食和控制的“死人床”等。个中情形，远非“劳动教养”四字所能传达。
. . . .
记者：在采写的过程中，您印象深刻的事情有哪些？
袁凌：我第一次听到“大挂”“老虎凳”“死人床”是一名女劳教人员说的。当时她已经残废，半边身体已经不正常，就像一棵树的半边已经枯了，但是讲起那些经历时，她的眼睛灼灼发亮，好像有一种精神支撑着，就是想给自己一个说法。她恰恰不是马三家的，是黑龙江的。她所说的我后来在马三家女子劳教所里也了解到，这也说明“大挂”“老虎凳”“死人床”并非马三家女子劳教所独有。
遇到梅秋玉时，我印象比较深。她看上去是一个很温柔、贤惠、柔弱的南方女性。她与一般上访者不同，虽然她被生活打磨的很多，但是身上保留了一种柔美气质。她很细心，会做很多咸菜、豆腐乳。她在劳教所的经历很惨烈，身上体现了女性的柔弱和坚忍。
后来，我在单位电话采访过一名辽宁的劳教人员。她的经历比较典型，“大挂”“小号”“老虎凳”“死人床”，几乎遭受了全套的处罚，现在还缺一颗门牙。当时，旁边一名女编辑听了一会起身走开了。结束采访后，她告诉我，你的采访太可怕了，让人听得心惊肉跳。如果稿件写出来，肯定也看不完。其实，我采访的也是一名女性，当时我们在电话中是很平静地说一些细节。一个正常生活的女性面对这些，会感到非常恐惧，无法承担。可以想见，那些女性在劳教所中的遭遇是需要强大的心理承担的，而且她们在讲述时已经很平静。
记者：您所采写、接触的马三家女子劳教所的女学员，她们是怎样一个群体？
袁凌：她们很多人是上访者。最初她们都是很正常的，例如，王桂兰是做成衣的，王玉萍是高级商业师。她们最初上访都是有原因的，碰到一些莫名其妙的事情解决不了就开始上访，因为上访被劳教，内心的情绪无法平复，越陷越深。信访、劳教制度本身存在问题，背后是法律体系的不健全。如果能够通过法律途径，打官司能得到合理、公正的判决，她们为什么还要去上访呢？她们的权益没有得到保障。她们的人生因为上访、劳教而被改变。

These screenshots show that the article, originally available here - http://www.china-woman.com/rp/main?fid=open&fun=show_news&from=view&nid=93241&ctype=3 - has since been deleted.

This screenshot shows that China Women's Daily deleted its entire April 11 edition from its web site.

The report was also deleted from several other web sites where it was reposted:

• http://ndnews.oeeee.com/html/201304/11/46356.html
• http://roll.sohu.com/20130411/n372336571.shtml
• http://legal.china.com.cn/2013-04/11/content_28511555.htm

These screenshots were taken on April 12, 2013, and show that Baidu has banned users from setting up PostBar (Tieba - 贴吧) forums on "Masanjia" (马三家) and "Re-eduction Through Labor" (劳教).

These screenshots were taken on the same day, and show that searches for "Masanjia" and "Re-education Through Labor Facility" (劳教所) on Tencent Weibo returned no results, just a censorship notice.

This screenshot was taken the same day, and shows that searches on Sina Weibo for "Women's Re-education Through Labor Facility" (女子劳教所) return no results, just a censorship notice.

Translation: Notification Regarding Strengthening the Management of the Online Activities of News Editorial Personnel

State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film, and Television
(2013) No. 110

The press and publication offices of each province, autonomous region, and municipality, the press and publication office of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Brigade, the press and publication office of the People's Liberation Army's General Political Propaganda Bureau, the periodical publications administration offices of each agency, democratic party, and civic organization of the Communist Party and the central government, and major media outlets of the Communist Party:

The Internet is an important channel for news editorial personnel to communicate with readers, obtain information, and increase broadcast effectiveness. In order to comprehensively bring into play the Internet's utility, promote the formation of healthy news order, you are hereby notified of the following in order to strengthen the management of online activities of news editorial personnel including their utilization of Internet information and launching personal weibos:

1. Firmly grasp the correct ideological orientation. News editorial personnel shall insist upon a Marxist view of the news, and shall insist upon encouraging unified stability and positive propaganda as their primary orientation. They shall actively utilize traditional media, news web sites, blogs, micro-blogs, and other media to disseminate mainstream information, guide social discourse, and take initiative to resist the infiltration and transmission of harmful information. They shall not use or report any Internet information that has not been verified through authoritative channels. They shall not transmit or re-post online gossip, rumors, or speculative information.

2. Further regulate news editorial activities. Strictly implement the "Opinion Regarding Further Regulating News Editorial Work" jointly issued by five agencies including the Central Propaganda Department. Strictly manage the editorial processes and screening workflows of news agencies. Avoid false reporting that results from focusing solely on pursuing one-sided sensationalism, distribution volume, and viewing rates. No news agencies may utilize overseas media, overseas web sites, or news information products without authorization.

3. Further strengthen management of news media web sites. News agencies must strengthen their management over news web site content review and verification and the online activities of news editorial personnel. They must strictly review and verify all information disseminated through news web sites in accordance with the standards and procedures for traditional media periodicals' news reports. It is forbidden to contract-out, hire-out, or license news editorial professional work for web sites or web channels. It is forbidden to allow anyone lacking journalist accreditation to conduct interviews or publish reports in the name of a web site or web channel. News web sites operated by news agencies may not publish information provided by news insiders, special reporters, civil organizations, or commercial organizations without verification.

4. Further strengthen the management of blogs and micro-blogs. Any news agency that establishes an official micro-blog must register with its sponsoring government agency, and designate a specific person with the authority to publish information, and delete harmful information in a timely manner. News editorial personnel who establish job-related micro-blogs must obtain permission from their work unit, and information published on a weibo may not violate laws, regulations, or provisions regulating the media. Information obtained through professional activities may not be disseminated without authorization.

5. Strengthen and improve supervision over Internet news public opinion. News agencies should be constantly strengthening and improving their supervision over public opinion. Achieve scientific supervision, supervision in accordance with law, constructive supervision, promote the universal implementation of State policies. Do a good job of achieving, safeguarding, and developing the rights that are most direct interest to the grass roots and the masses. News editorial personnel must not use public opinion supervision to coerce grass roots groups or individual to subscribe to their periodicals, take out advertisements, or provide support. News editorial personnel may not disseminate false information on the Internet, and may not publish on any domestic or overseas web site any news information obtained through their professional news gathering with their news agencies examination, verification, and approval.

All local news publishing executive agencies and all news media regulating and sponsoring agencies must endeavor to carry out their professional responsibilities with respect to management of their jurisdiction and their level, and strengthen their supervision over the local news channels and professional news activities of news editorial personnel in their local media, media subject to their jurisdiction, as well as the central government media bureaus, branches, and news web sites in their locale. They must determinedly halt and punish in accordance with the law any news editorial personnel who seek use the Internet as a platform through which to gain illegal benefits, and suspend or terminate their news editorial work as the circumstances dictate.

关于加强新闻采编人员网络活动管理的通知

国家新闻出版广电总局
〔2013〕 110 号

各省、 自治区、 直辖市新闻出版局, 新疆生产建设兵团新闻出版局, 解放军总政治部宣传部新闻出版局,中央和国家机关各部委、 各民主党派、 各人民团体报刊主管单位，中央主要新闻单位：

网络是媒体新闻采编人员联络读者、 获取信息、 拓展传播效应的重要渠道。为充分发挥网络的积极作用,推动形成健康的新闻秩序, 现就加强新闻采编人员使用网络信息、 开通个人微博等网络活动管理通知如下：

一、 牢牢把握正确舆论导向。新闻采编人员要坚持马克思主义新闻观,坚持团结稳定鼓劲、正面宣传为主的方针，积极利用传统媒体、新闻网站、博客、微博等载体传播主流信息，引导社会舆论，自觉抵制有害信息的渗透和传播，不引用、不报道未通过权威渠道核实的网络信息，不传播、不转载网上流言、传言或猜测性信息。

二、 进一步规范新闻采编行为。严格落实中央宣传部等五部门联合下发的《关于进一步规范新闻采编工作的意见》，严格新闻单位采编活动和编审流程的管理，防止为片面追求轰动效应、发行数量、收听收视率而造成失实报道。 未经批准, 各类新闻单位均不得擅自使用境外媒体、境外网站的新闻信息产品。

三、 进一步加强媒体新闻网站管理。新闻单位须加强新闻网站内容审核把关及新闻采编人员网络活动管理，要按照传统媒体刊发新闻报道的标准和流程，严格审核所属新闻网站发布的信息。禁止将网站及网站频道的新闻采编业务承包、出租或转让，禁止无新闻记者证人员以网站及网站频道名义采访或发稿。未经核实，新闻单位所办新闻网站不得擅自发布新闻线人、特约作者、民间组织、商业机构等提供的信息。

四、 进一步加强博客和微博管理。新闻单位设立官方微博，须向其主管单位备案，并指定专人发布权威信息，及时删除有害信息。新闻采编人员设立职务微博须经所在单位批准，发布微博信息不得违反法律法规及所在媒体的管理规定，未经批准不得发布通过职务活动获得的各种信息。

五、 加强和改进网络新闻舆论监督。 新闻单位要不断加强和改进舆论监督，做到科学监督、依法监督、建设性监督，推动国家的方针政策落到实处，实现好、维护好、发展好基层和人民群众的切身利益。新闻采编人员不得利用舆论监督要挟基层单位和个人订阅报刊、投放广告、提供赞助。新闻采编人员不得在网络上发布虚假信息，未经所在新闻机构审核同意不得将职务采访获得的新闻信息刊发在境内外网站上。

各地新闻出版行政部门和各新闻媒体主管主办单位要切实履行属地管理、分级管理的职责，强化对本地媒体、所辖媒体和中央媒体在地方记者站、分支机构、新闻网站地方频道新闻采编人员及新闻业务的监督。对新闻采编人员以网络为平台牟取非法利益等行为，要坚决制止，依法严肃查处，并视情节限期或终身禁止其从事新闻采编工作。