Red light parade

Today is International Human Rights Day. The focus this year is 'Fighting Poverty: a matter of obligation, not charity'. I will return to this topic in the coming days. But for now let's examine another case of infringement of human rights.

Police in Shenzhen paraded about 100 prostitutes and their clients through the streets of the booming city, using loudspeakers to read out their names and alleged misdeeds. It reminded people of practices used during the Cultural Revolution (The Washington Post: Public Shaming of Prostitutes Misfires in China).

The Post's Edward Cody moreover notes that “many Chinese view the human rights situation as such an improvement over times past that they would rather emphasize how far they have come than how far they have to go”.

“Twenty years ago, this kind of parade would have been greeted with unanimous applause. But now it gets more criticism than support because more people realize their rights should be protected,” he quotes sociologist Kang Xiaoguang of the Rural Development Institute as saying.

The spectacle took place on November 29 but has since been severely criticized by Netizens and even by the Ministry of Public Security. Shanghai lawyer Yao Jianguo said the Shenzhen parade was illegal under current laws. The All-China Women's Federation complained that the parade was an insult to the image of Chinese women.

Chairman Mao eradicated prostitution in one swoop in 1950. Maybe the oldest profession in the world will no longer exist in a socialist society. But in a market economy it is impossible to stamp it out. Target the criminals behind the girls, who earn the most from the trade, legalize acceptable behavior of suppliers and clients. And make the police think twice about organizing red light parades.