The HRIC Daily Brief is a daily selection of news stories and commentary related to human rights in China, drawn from Chinese- and English-language news and online media sources that we monitor daily. In addition to headlines and source links, HRIC also provides English translation of Chinese headlines.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Bo Xilai (薄熙来案)

山东省高院逐条评判薄熙来上诉理由 裁定驳回上诉维持原判
Bo's appeal rejected, original judgment upheld
Xinhua, October 25, 2013
CH: http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2013/1025/c1001-23326857.html
EN: http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90785/8436846.html

Related:
薄熙来案二审裁定书(全文)(Second instance verdict on Bo Xilai’s case [full text])
People’s Daily, October 25, 2013
http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2013/1025/c1001-23326738.html

Censorship and Surveillance (审查和监控)

库克:中国媒体审查如何影响境外媒体?(Sara Cook: how does China’s media censorship affect overseas media?)
Deutsch Welle, October 25, 2013
http://bit.ly/1drMNsh

See related report:
The Long Shadow of Chinese Censorship: How the Communist Party’s Media Restrictions Affect News Outlets Around the World
Center for International Media Assistance, October 22, 2013
http://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/CIMA-China_Sarah%20Cook_10_22_13.pdf

Children (儿童)

最高法公布3起惩处性侵害未成年人犯罪案例 (Supreme Court announces sentences of 3 convicted of sexual abuse of minors, one receives death)
Xinhua, October 25, 2013
http://news.eastday.com/c/20131024/u1a7733266.html

最高法:不能以是否给钱区分嫖宿幼女罪与强奸罪 (Supreme Court: payment cannot justify rape of girls under 14 years as prostitution)
Beijing News, October 25, 2013
http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2013/1025/c1001-23321567.html

Corruption (腐败)

中共以不断创新强化“巡视”反腐
China's Party inspectors hit road again
Xinhua, October 24, 2013
CH:http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2013-10/24/c_117861898.htm
EN: http://english.cntv.cn/20131023/105284.shtml

Chinese village builds seven-floor government office
The Telegraph, October 24, 2013
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/10402088/Chinese-village-builds-seven-floor-government-office.html

Environment (环境)

北京首起公益诉讼未予立案 NGO状告央企无果 (First public interest litigation in Beijing rejected by courts)
China Youth daily, October 24, 2013
http://www.chinanews.com/fz/2013/10-24/5419579.shtml

Response to a city’s smog points to a change in Chinese attitude
The New York Times, October 24, 2013
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/25/world/asia/smoggy-days-in-harbin-prompt-quick-reaction.html

Freedom of Expression and Privacy (言论自由和隐私)

In rare move, China regulator voices concern for detained reporter
Reuters, October 24, 2013
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/10/24/uk-china-reporter-idUKBRE99N0D020131024

See statement:
国家新闻出版广电总局、中国记协高度关注《新快报》记者被刑拘 (The General Association of Press and Publishing and All China Journalists Association deeply concerned about the criminal detention of a New Express reporter)
GAPP, October 24, 2013
http://www.gapp.gov.cn/news/1656/159108.shtml

Related:
Chinese newspaper continues campaign to free reporter
The Telegraph, October 24, 2013
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/10401753/Chinese-newspaper-continues-campaign-to-free-reporter.html

Human Rights Defenders (人权卫士)

上海维权人士沈勇被黑保安和民警毒打后死亡 (Shanghai rights defender Shen Yong beaten to death by security guards and police)
Radio Free Asia, October 25, 2013
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/hc-10242013130631.html

Information Control (信息控制)

China won’t lose its "voice" despite new TV restrictions
Wall Street Journal, October 25, 2013
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2013/10/25/china-wont-lose-its-voice-despite-new-tv-restrictions/

International Human Rights (国际人权)

联合国成员国敦促中国改善人权状况 (UN member states urge China to improve human rights situation, offer over 200 recommendations during UPR)
British Broadcasting Corporation, October 25, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/10/131025_china_human_rights_un.shtml

Related:
Activists slam China's human rights record amid UN review
Radio Free Asia, October 23, 2013
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/review-10232013110140.html

China defends record at U.N. Human Rights Council; others beg to differ
Agence France-Presse, October 23, 2013
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/10/23/world/china-defends-record-at-u-n-human-rights-council-others-beg-to-differ/

UN-real: Saudi Arabia, China among nations vying for seats on Human Rights Council
Fox, October 22, 2013
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/10/22/un-real-saudi-arabia-china-among-nations-vying-for-seats-on-human-rights/

Protests and Petitions (抗议和请愿)

Chinese villagers protest against land deal in Yunnan
British Broadcasting Corporation, October 25, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-24669447

Rule of Law (法治)

中国近20年来首次修改消费者权益保护法 (China revises consumer protection law, first time in nearly 20 years)
China News Service, October 25, 2013
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2013/10-25/5424916.shtml

Related:
China overhauls consumer protection laws
Reuters, October 25, 2013
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/25/us-china-consumer-law-idUSBRE99O05E20131025

Rural Issues (农村)

消失中的村落:山西盂县宽坪村仅剩九口人 (Disappearing village: only 9 people remain in one Shanxi village)
People’s Daily, October 25, 2013
http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2013/1025/c1001-23324420.html

Society (社会)

China’s bystander problem: Another death after crowd ignores woman in peril
Washington Post, October 24, 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/10/24/chinas-bystander-problem-another-death-after-crowd-ignores-woman-in-peril/

Opinion (观点)

Wide acclaim for China's state-centered, collective human rights
Huffington Post, October 24, 2013
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/aaron-rhodes/wide-acclaim-for-china_b_4144477.html

Singing from the same hymnal
Economist, October 24, 2013
http://www.economist.com/blogs/analects/2013/10/china-and-vatican

Related:
英媒:同唱赞美诗歌的中国和梵蒂冈 (UK media: China and the Vatican are singing from the same hymnal)
British Broadcasting Corporation, October 25, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/press_review/2013/10/131024_press_vatican_china.shtml