Jinan Government Monitors People Through "Electronic Eyes”

"Electronic Eyes,” in the form of electronic surveillance cameras, are widely used in China today, violating personal privacy. Traffic police in Jinan City utilize high-definition cameras to capture violators, causing controversy of privacy invasion. Lawyers are reminding residents to pay attention to protecting one's privacy in public places and being aware of the camera locations.

Prior to the 2014 New Year, a large number of banners that exposed the wrongdoing of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) were displayed in every suburb of Jinan City, Shandong Province. According to an insider, the Shandong Province 610 Office (an organisation of special agents just for persecuting Falun Gong) declared it as a major case, and surveillance cameras recorded people hanging banners in seventeen places in Jinan City, including “Falun Gong is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance is good, Heaven Eliminates the CCP, Quit CCP for a Better Future.” Photos were provided to local police stations, resulting in the arrest of Falun Gong practitioners.

Arrested for Displaying Falun Gong Banners

Mr. Xu Yanjiang was arrested at his home by Zhonggong Police Station officers on January 18th, and his motorized tricycle was confiscated.

Ms. Liu Xinmei and Ms. Chai Diyun were also arrested.

Ms. Lin Xiaoyan was forced to leave home to avoid being arrested. However police tracked her back to her hometown in northeast China and arrested her when she went to Shanghai on May 12th. She is being detained at the Jinan Detention Centre. Ms. Lin's arrest was approved on June 15th, with the charge of hanging several banners on the night of December 31st, 2013.

Ms. Yin Xianfeng and Mr. Zhu Zhenli, a couple in their 70s, were also taken to a police station on the afternoon of June 26th, after more than six months of police monitoring. Officers claimed they were recorded by cameras when hanging banners on the night of January 29th.

Elderly practitioner Ms. Li from a cotton factory was also arrested after being recorded by a camera.

Installing Monitoring Equipment

Cameras installed in Jinan City have increased dramatically in recent years. According to police departments, since the launching of the “skynet” (surveillance network) project in 2009, by March 2013 over 1,000 electronic eyes have been installed in the city centre and over 180,000 cameras in Jinan City. These cameras are mainly located on main roads, busy areas with banks, shopping malls, hospitals and schools. Cameras are also installed inside of banks, community centres, buses, taxis, lifts and office buildings.