Report: Increasing repression met by more resistance in China
BEIJING -- Censorship and repression by China's government has grown over the last two years, according to a newly released report, but it also says resistance among its mainland citizens has intensified as well.
The report by U.S.-based Freedom House takes a look at human rights in China and what has changed in the first two year's of Chinese President Xi Jinping's 10-year term.
One of the headlines is that Chinese are feeling less fearful of their government. More people are taking to the streets in mainland China to raise their voices on issues that are important to them -- from pollution to property rights to worker's benefits.
On the flip side, more academics and lawyers have been detained. And in the social media world, influential bloggers have been silenced. Even ordinary Internet users are seeing more of their posts deleted and censored. Journalists have been locked up and detained.
On the religious freedom front, crosses from churches have been removed. In some cases, entire parts of churches have been demolished with local officials blaming violations of different property laws.
Overall, the report's big takeaway may be that the Chinese central government is clamping down more and finding ways to try to limit those who may try to limit its power.
