US brands China human rights abuser

China’s human rights record remained poor last year as the government �continued to commit numerous and serious abuses�, the US State Department’s annual report on global human rights has said. Despite certain legal reforms, greater personal freedom and increased protection for some religious activities, a rise in censorship of both the Internet and media outlets undermined China’s performance. The report claims there was also increased harassment, detention and imprisonment by the authorities of people seen as being a political threat to the government. In recent years, China has responded to the US report by publishing a critique of Washington’s record on human rights. The Beijing government closed two popular weblogs on Wednesday in the latest Internet crackdown.