China's new rules for better management of petitions have prohibited putting petitioners under any form of confinement.

"Various political and legal organs should further regulate the handling of lawsuit-related petitions, resolutely avoiding blocking the people from normal petitioning by any means," said a circular released on March 19 by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council.

Petitioning, also known as "letters and calls," is the administrative system for hearing public complaints and grievances.

Petitioners generally see injustice in land acquisition, social security, education, healthcare or environmental protection. They can take their grievances to a higher level if they fail to get satisfactory feedback from local petition offices, but officials often prevent them from raising such cases with their superiors.

The circular stresses that illegal or indirect confinement of petitioners is strictly prohibited, and that leading officials of related law enforcement organs are responsible for receiving petitioners and reading their letters.