Amnesty Blasts China Torture Tools Industry

Amnesty International is charging that China's production and export of police equipment used mainly for torture has grown dramatically, enabling human rights violations at home and abroad. The rights group said in a report that China is a now a major exporter of torture tools. It says that 130 Chinese companies, up from 28 just a decade ago, are developing, producing and exporting law enforcement tools, most of them legitimate, but many that are inherently cruel and inhumane. The report cited such products as spiked batons, electric stun guns, and restraint chairs where arms can be shackled and ankle cuffs can force detainees into painful contortions.