"...The New York-based Human Rights in China (HRIC) said it had learned that tens of thousands of petitioners from all over China had recently been detained in Beijing, with many suffering abusive conditions in custody.

'Police detained more than 36,000 petitioners in the first few days of September,' HRIC said in a statement. “The detentions have apparently been spurred by a desire to ensure public order in advance of a meeting of the Central Committee of the 16th Party Congress next week.' ..." 

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