JURIST - Paper Chase: China farmers riot over 'one-child policy' enforcement

[JURIST] Thousands of farmers in southwestern China reportedly rioted over the weekend due to efforts by local government officials to more strictly enforce China's "One Child Policy" [backgrounder]. A local resident told AP said that the government had imposed fines of over 10,000 yuan ($1,300 USD) on families that had too many children. Hong Kong-based Ming Pao daily reported that government officials had been ordered to collect 500 yuan ($65 USD) from families that had violated the "One Child Policy," and that family homes would be demolished and property seized if the the fines were not paid within three days.

The riot, which allegedly left fires and damaged cars at the Shabi local township government office, occurred in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region [official website, in Chinese], which is inhabited a large percentage of Zhuang and Miao ethnic minority groups. China's "One Child Policy" customarily allows non-Han minorities to have up to two children in urban areas and up to four in rural farming communities. BBC News has more. AP has additional coverage.

For a one-stop snapshot of the latest legal news that matters, with breaking documents, new legal videos, live law-related webcasts, commentary by expert law professors and more - all updated through the day in real time, with no ads and no registration barriers - visit JURIST's homepage and check back often...