In May 2006, Beijing extended use of a system of detention without trial called Re-education Through Labour, to "clean up" the city’s image before the Olympics.
Amnesty International believes there is likely to have been a significant drop in executions since the Supreme People’s Court review for all death sentences was restored in January 2007.
Housing rights activist Ye Guozhu is serving a four-year prison sentence after he applied for permission to hold a demonstration against forced evictions in Beijing.
Amnesty International called on the Chinese authorities to immediately
end repressive measures against Chinese human rights defenders in
Beijing and other parts of C
While streets in the Tibetan capital are reported to be quiet and empty, there are continued reports of unrest in neighbouring Chinese provinces with large populations
