Chinese Regime Uses Specialized Software to Monitor Petitioners

Chinese police are using sophisticated software to monitor petitioners, according to a Web-based rights group. Canyu.org reported on two of these programs over the weekend. They’re meant to help police control a large number of citizens who appeal to authorities to resolve their complaints.

Two companies based in northern Shandong Province created the programs. They let police record and track petitioners’ data, based on the nature of their complaints, like illegal land seizures for example. One of the software specifically targets petitioners who travel to Beijing to voice their grievances.

News of the software has angered petitioners and activists. They say authorities are treating citizens like enemies, when they should be protecting them instead.

[Hu Jun, Rights Activist]:
“We already know they have a process to monitor petitioners, from the local level to Beijing. Now they have specialized software. If this continues, will the entire population end up being monitored? If they can put these resources into healthcare, or to improve the lives of the public, do they still need to monitor citizens?”

Li Guozhu has been petitioning since 2004, after he reported on a corrupt official and was fired from his job. Li says these petitioner management software indicates the Chinese regime is nervous about rising social tensions.

[Li Guozhu, Petitioner]:
“Why has the Communist regime created these two software? It’s because they’ve seen a sharp increase in conflicts between the public and the government, and there is no longer harmony. The regime is scared that petitioners will become more influential, and that the world’s people and the Chinese public will see what its corrupt system will eventually lead to.”

Every year, millions of Chinese petition as a last ditch effort to resolve their complaints—complaints that often involve communist officials. For that reason, many disputes go unresolved and petitioning becomes a drawn out process. Petitioners are often harassed, illegally detained or violently treated by local authorities.