Professor Fan Chongyi of CUPL

Professor Fan Chongyi (b. 1940) is the Director Procedure Law Center at the China University of Political Science and Law.

A new revision of the Chinese Criminal Procedure Law was passed by the National People's Congress on March 14, 2012. The law granted police authority to detain suspects without notifying their families. Many legal experts and civil right activists opposed this revision because it essentially make secret detention a lawful practice. Secret detention in name of national security has been a common practice to lock away anyone the police do not like. Last year, artist Ai Weiwei was secretly detained for several month because of his opinion on the construction quality of some public schools. A Beijing resident was secretly detained for several months because her son killed police in revenge after being abused by police. She was not released until her son was executed.

Fan argued that secret detention does not take place in China. Fan further said it was necessary to secretly detain enemies of the State. Rotten Index: ♣♣

The 220 Clan

The revision of article 220 of the Criminal Procedure Law granted the police unlimited power to secretly detain human rights activists and political dissidents alike. They could be put into confinement without legal proceedings and without informing their families. The revision was made after the international society called foul when the authority secretly detained artist Ai Weiwei and his entire team, including accountants, drivers, interns for months without telling any of their families members their whereabouts. Ai Weiwei was last seen at Beijing Airport before taken away from public eyes. Therefore, his family could figure he must be detained although the authority never admitted. For his team members, they were taken separately so for a long period their families could not figure out what had happened to them.

Following scholars and professors endorsed the revision, which was a.k.a. Article 220.

♣♣♣♣ Professor Wu Fatian of the China University of Law and Political Sciences;
♣ Wang Minyuan of Chinese Social Science Academy
♣ Professor Song Yinghui of Beijing Normal University
♣♣ Professor Xie Youping of Fudan University