CHINA-SECURITY: HENAN PROVINCE SECURITY AUTHORITIES COMMISSION SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING AND SURVEILLING JOURNALISTS
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Reuters (November 30) reported that a July 29 tender document published on the Henan provincial government’s procurement website details plans for a system that can compile individual files on such persons of interest coming to Henan using 3,000 facial recognition cameras that connect to various national and regional databases. It said a 5 million yuan ($782,000) contract was awarded on September 17 to Shenyang-based Chinese tech company Neusoft, which was required to finish building the system within two months of signing the contract. Reuters was unable to establish if the system is currently operating. U.S.-based surveillance research firm IPVM'S Head of Operations Donald Maye was quoted by Reuters as saying "While the PRC has a documented history of detaining and punishing journalists for doing their jobs, this document illustrates the first known instance of the PRC building custom security technology to streamline state suppression of journalists." IPVM described the tender as unique in specifying journalists as surveillance targets and providing a blueprint for public security authorities to quickly locate them and obstruct their work.
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