China 's third city Guangzhou announces first steps in unbolting 'Re-education Through Labor ' system . System was set up in the 1950s under Mao Zedong and modeled on the Soviet 'gulags ' , where prisoners were forced to work for years without pay or food. Human Rights Watch says the changes to the system , however , are only cosmetic .
China 's third city Guangzhou announces first steps in unbolting 'Re-education Through Labor ' system . System was set up in the 1950s under Mao Zedong and modeled on the Soviet 'gulags ' It provides for detention without trial for petty thieves and prostitutes to drug abusers . Human Rights Watch says the changes to the system , however , are only cosmetic .