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.

Thursday, January 13, 2005

January 13, 2005

Top news of the day

June 4th – arms ban

Arms ban may be lifted, says Jack Straw
SCMP, January 13, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZMEL9HJ3E.html

Portugal Backs Removal of EU Arms Embargo
SCMP, 13 January 2005
Portugal is in favour of lifting a European Union arms embargo on China
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/index.html

News

Corruption / education
Director held over theft of school funds
SCMP, January 13, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZT8VBHJ3E.html

Death Penalty
Three drug traffickers executed in SW China province
Xinhua News Agency, 13 January 2005
Chen Minggang, Sun Shuangli, and Liu Fagang were executed Wednesday in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-01/13/content_2455340.htm

Education
Excerpted article from Oriental Daily: tensions in university campuses due to poverty gap amongst students
东方日报:中国大学生贫富悬殊冲击校园
Chinesenewsnet.com, January 13, 2005
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/Opinion/
2005_1_12_17_11_0_32.html


Environment
Mainland greens mourn crusader who tried to save the Yangtze
SCMP, January 13, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZBV38HJ3E.html

Pipeline starts in Aug to feed gas-starved Beijing
Reuters News, 13 January 2005
PetroChina is set to start up a major pipeline to supply gas to Beijing in August
http://www.reuters.com

Government – governance and accountability
Hotlines set up to report gambling officials
SCMP, January 13, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZN9N5HJ3E.html

June 4th – prisoners – Zhao Ziyang (趙紫陽)
No coverage on ex-communist chief Zhao’s health conditions in Chinese media
中国媒体没有报道前中共总书记赵紫阳的近况
Radio Free Asia, January 13, 2005
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2005/01/12/zhaoziyang/

China tightens Tiananmen security
By Louisa Lim, BBC, 13 January 2005
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4171825.stm
New rules to prevent protests amid worries over the health of Zhao Ziyang

Media – censorship
Featured article from Wang Dan: public incidents and missing follow-up stories
王丹:不知下落的公众事件
Chinesenewsnet.com, January 13, 2005
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/Opinion/2005
_1_12_19_19_39_649.html


Law – legal profession
The predicament of Chinese judges
法官的困境
Legal Daily, January 13, 2005
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/2005-01/13/content_177741.htm

Law – legal reform (juvenile justice)
Suggested amendments to Article 17 of the Criminal Law
对刑法第十七条的修改建议
Legal Daily, January 13, 2005
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/2005-01/13/content_177731.htm

Labour- disasters
Ten miners killed in central China coal mine accident
AFP, 13 January 2005
BEIJING, Jan 13 (AFP) - Ten miners have been killed and 17 more injured in Qiaoyan coal mine in Chengguan township on Wednesday in China's Henan province
www.afp.com

Labour – employment market
Guangdong to suspend migrant hiring ban
SCMP, January 13, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZWAN5HJ3E.html

North Korea
Police pull plug on Koreans' conference
SCMP, January 13, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZFV38HJ3E.html

Hong Kong – society
War on want to benefit children and elderly
SCMP, January 13, 2005
http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZDY38HJ3E.html

Hong Kong – politics
Promises, promises: the past seven years
SCMP, January 13, 2005
http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZ19VBHJ3E.html