Thread by @nytimes

A new leak from inside China's Communist Party shows how officials struggled to manage the swelling indoctrination camps where they have detained up to a million Muslims.

Here's what the documents — secret, detailed orders — show. nyti.ms/2qIOz7b

The documents, obtained by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, reveal the punitive nature — pervasive surveillance, isolation from the world — of camps that China publicly calls job training centers and an effort against the pull of extremism.

In one document, an official ordered strict measures to manage the camps: rigid control over how detainees spend their days and the recruiting of informants to spy on them. One passage details how to prevent escapes, in language similar to what’s used in guidelines for prisons.

The directive orders camps to keep extensive records on every detainee, using a scoring system to determine whether detainees can be released — an implied threat aimed at silencing complaints.

At every moment, detainees must meet “disciplinary demands” or face punishment.

The directive emphasizes remorse among the detainees and suggests discussions so they “understand deeply the illegal, criminal and dangerous nature of their past behavior."

A former detainee at one of the camps described officials’ goal as imposing loyalty to China.

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists led the investigation into these documents, joining together more than 75 journalists from the ICIJ and 17 partner organizations, including The New York Times, in 14 countries.

Read our full story: nyti.ms/2qIOz7b

This disclosure of documents is the 2nd significant leak from inside China's Communist Party related to its crackdown on Muslims.

Last week, we published papers revealing how officials plotted to carry out the clampdown. Here's what they showed.

https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1195728248040087552