Shenzhen prostitutes and customers in a forced march

internet - Public rectifications no longer appreciated

(Others, like Shanghaiist, have been much more on top of this story, but the ongoing debate justified also this belated attention.)
Times are changing, although for some faster than for others. When Shenzhen police wanted to set off a classic campaign against the sex-trade in the city, some thought a public dehumilation of prostitutes and their clients was a good idea.
Shanghaiist found that not everybody shared that idea:

Using Baidu's new blog search engine we found some more information on this matter, including an open letter to the National People's Congress from Shanghai lawyer Yao Jianguo who says that such actions not only show no respect for individual dignity but are unlawful in themselves -- there were laws passed in the 1980s that made the Cultural Revolution era parading of counterrevolutionaries a thing of the past.

It does indeed not look like the smartest way to organize a harmonious society. Howard French gives for the International Herald Tribune an overview, including opposing voices:

"Even people who commit crimes deserve dignity," one person wrote on the popular Internet forum 163.com. "Must we go back to the era of the Cultural Revolution?"
"Isn't this a brutal violation of human rights?" asked another poster, who likened the parading to an act out of the Middle Ages. "Shenzhen's image has been deeply shamed."
The incident has also reportedly elicited concerns from the All-China Women's Federation, a state affiliated body, which is said to have addressed a letter to the Public Security Ministry in Beijing.