NCJ Number
120940
Journal
Journal of Law and Society Volume: 16 Issue: 3 Dated: (Autumn 1989) Pages: 352-359
Date Published
1989
Length
8 pages
Annotation
After the military massacres and arrests of June 4, 1989 in Tiananmen Square, the government of the People's Republic of China used televised show trials of those arrested to reassert political control and to delegitimize the dissenters' cause.
Abstract
Formal criminal proceedings are a relatively recent addition to the social control system of the People's Republic of China. This article details how the government of the People's Republic of China has been using show trials to punish dissent and reassert authority without further use of military force. While the immediate effect of the show trial procedure is the cessation of street violence and punishment of dissent, the long-term result could be that Chinese legal institutions are compromised. Specific televised trials of dissenters are described, with emphasis on criminal procedures and sentences. The role of television in communicating the message of the show trials is analyzed. Many of those who took part in the protests were required to watch and acquiesce in the punishment of those apprehended and tried. Thus, the government forced a rebellious and fearful population to participate in its repression of political dissent. 16 footnotes.