Beijing: A revised draft of China's policing law could give officers the power to use firearms against peaceful protesters, Human Rights Watch said yesterday as it called for the country to bring the legislation in line with UN standards.
The draft was issued by the public security bureau on December 1 for public commentary before the end of the year.
"It seeks to give police more concrete guidelines on the use of weapons," according to Chinese media reports recently.
But three out of the five situations in which it stipulates police may use firearms "after warnings are ineffective" did not conform to basic UN principles, Human Rights Watch said in comments on the draft submitted to Chinese authorities.
The legal text states that police may use weapons on those who "resist arrest or flee while or after perpetrating acts that seriously endanger national security or public safety". according a draft posted on the public security bureau's official website.
But as the terms "national security" and "public safety" are broadly interpreted within Chinese law, the wording gives police the right to train firearms on individuals in situations far beyond what is permissible under international law, HRW China researcher Maya Wang said.
"The Chinese government frequently conflates peaceful criticism of the government with threats to national security, so this could potentially mean that the police could use firearms against people who peacefully criticise the government."
