中国の警察は、中国国内で蔓延している子供の人身売買問題を取り締まるため組織の摘発に乗り出し、誘拐された子供92人を救出し、301人の容疑者を拘束した。中国の公安省が発表した。
ロイターによると、今回の摘発は過去最大級のもので、警察は6ヶ月にわたる調査の末、同時に11の省で摘発に乗り出した。
スカイニュースによると、警察は子どもの人身売買の際に使われた睡眠薬も発見した。
民主化活動家の柴玲さんは、中国の厳しい家族計画政策、あるいは伝統的に男の子を優先する、法を遵守しない、貧困、不法な利益といったさまざまな側面から、赤ちゃんや子供の人身売買マーケットが繁栄していると分析する。
家族の中には、未婚の母の子供と同じく、売買された女性や子供を労働力の交代要員や家事を行う使用人として買うケースが多いと、BBCが伝えている。
女性は僻地の農村地域にいる男性に売られる。そういった地域の男性は、中国の一人っ子政策によって労働力としての男の子を求め、女の子の胎児は中絶される性別選択が横行した結果、男女比に偏りが生まれ、結婚相手が見つからない。
中国国営ラジオのレポートによると、中国では毎年およそ20万人の子供が行方不明となっている。このうち、密売によって拘束された状態で発見され、解放されたのはわずか0.1％にすぎない。
新華社通信によると、政府は子供を売った親も取り締まる方針だという。
内務省によると、昨年、中国で誘拐された女性や子供が解放された数は2万4000人以上にのぼる。
国連では、中国が1992年に批准した「子どもの権利条約」に基づき、中国が条約を履行しているかどうか調査を行うことを委員会で議題にする予定だ。
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中国 大気汚染 画像集
(01 of17)
A little tourist wearing the PM2.5 mask walk on the Tiananmen Square during severe pollution on January 31, 2013 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(02 of17)
Traffic moves along a street as pedestrians walk on an overpass shrouded in haze in Beijing, China, on Friday, March 15, 2013. China\'s new premier promised to crack down on corruption and clean up pollution, acknowledging the need to tackle two issues that have stoked public anger toward the country\'s leaders. (credit:Tomohiro Ohsumi / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(03 of17)
Traffic moves along a street as pedestrians walk on an overpass shrouded in haze in Beijing, China, on Friday, March 15, 2013. China\'s new premier promised to crack down on corruption and clean up pollution, acknowledging the need to tackle two issues that have stoked public anger toward the country\'s leaders. (credit:Tomohiro Ohsumi / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(04 of17)
Haze surrounds the International Commerce Centre (ICC) in the West Kowloon district of Hong Kong, China, on Monday, April 15, 2013. Hong Kong\'s air pollution index reached the \"severe\" level for the third time this year, triggering a government warning, as the lack of air flow trapped pollutants in the city. (credit:Jerome Favre / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(05 of17)
Diesel fumes come out of a tug boat chimney as skyscrapers stand in the Wanchai district of Hong Kong, China, on Monday, April 15, 2013. Hong Kong\'s air pollution index reached the \"severe\" level for the third time this year, triggering a government warning, as the lack of air flow trapped pollutants in the city. (credit:Jerome Favre / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(06 of17)
A man wears a mask as he walks down a street in Beijing, China, on Friday, March 15, 2013. China\'s new premier promised to crack down on corruption and clean up pollution, acknowledging the need to tackle two issues that have stoked public anger toward the country\'s leaders. (credit:Tomohiro Ohsumi / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(07 of17)
Traffic moves along a street shrouded in haze in Beijing, China, on Friday, March 15, 2013. China\'s new premier promised to crack down on corruption and clean up pollution, acknowledging the need to tackle two issues that have stoked public anger toward the country\'s leaders. (credit:Tomohiro Ohsumi / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(08 of17)
A woman wears a mask as she walks on a street in Beijing, China, on Friday, March 15, 2013. China\'s new premier promised to crack down on corruption and clean up pollution, acknowledging the need to tackle two issues that have stoked public anger toward the country\'s leaders. (credit:Tomohiro Ohsumi / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(09 of17)
This picture taken on January 29, 2013 shows a general view of buildings in the heavy smog in Jilin, northeast China\'s Jilin province. Beijing urged residents to stay indoors on January 30 as emergency measures were rolled out aimed at countering a heavy cloud of smog blanketing the Chinese capital and swathes of the country. (STR/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(10 of17)
Chinese tourists look at the view from the historic Jingshan Park as smog continues to shroud Beijing on January 31, 2013. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(11 of17)
Two Chinese policemen guard in front of two LED screens on the Tiananmen Square during severe pollution on January 31, 2013 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(12 of17)
A general view shows the Guotai Chambers building from the historic Jingshan Park as smog continues to shroud Beijing on January 31, 2013. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(13 of17)
A Chinese tourist takes photos from the historic Jingshan Park as smog continues to shroud Beijing on January 31, 2013. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(14 of17)
Chinese tourists looks at the view from the historic Jingshan Park as smog continues to shroud Beijing on January 31, 2013. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(15 of17)
Tourists visit the Tiananmen Square during severe pollution on January 31, 2013 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(16 of17)
A little tourist wearing a panda mask walk on the Tiananmen Square during severe pollution on January 31, 2013 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(17 of17)
The little tourists play on the ground with frozen ice at the Tiananmen Square during severe pollution on January 31, 2013 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)