Chinese Companies Exporting Tools of Torture, Says Amnesty International

Several Chinese companies are manufacturing and exporting tools mainly used for torture like electric shock batons and spiked metal batons, Amnesty international said Tuesday.

This has resulted in human rights abuses in several countries in Asia and Africa, Amnesty said in the report.

"While some of the exports are no doubt used in legitimate law enforcement operations, China has also exported equipment that has inhumane effects, or poses a substantial risk of fuelling human rights violations by foreign law enforcement agencies," Amnesty said, reports Reuters.

More than 130 companies are engaged in the production and trade of such dangerous equipment used by law enforcement agencies, the report said.

The report also gave examples of torture tools like spiked batons and restrain chairs.  The restrain chair has a desk like surface in its front where the arms of a person can be shackled. Coupled with ankle cuffs, the device gives tremendous pain to the victim.

"There is no excuse whatsoever for allowing the manufacturing and trade in equipment for which the primary purpose is to torture or inflict cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment on people," said Patrick Wilcken, security trade and human rights researcher at Amnesty International,  reports theAssociated Press.

Amnesty asked China to straight away ban the production and trade of inherently cruel and abusive equipment.

The report, compiled jointly with Omega Research Foundation, also asked China to deny trade licenses for the supply of equipment if there is a considerable risk that it will used for torture.

Around 29 Chinese companies produce electric stun batons, which allow security officials to give multiple shocks' to sensitive areas of the body. It also does not leave any long- lasting physical marks, Amnesty said, reports CNN.

Many companies make restraint devices such as weighted leg cuffs, while spiked batons are exported to security forces in Nepal and Thailand. The police of Ghana, Senegal, Egypt and Madagascar use Chinese made electric shock batons, the report said.

The report also said that the restraint chairs have no legitimate use in the enforcement of law. The U.N. Committee against Torture has recommended abolishing the use of restraint chairs, reports AP.