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.

Tuesday, January 11, 2005

January 7-11, 2005

Top news of the day

Detention – Zhang Lin (張林)
Writers urge to help missing freelance writer Zhang Lin
张林失踪 妻被监控 刘晓波等吁援救
Dajiyuan.com, January 10, 2004
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/5/1/10/n776085.htm

June 4th – prisoners Zhao Ziyang (赵紫阳)
Activist: Deposed China Leader in Hospital
AP, January 11, 2005
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=516&ncid=731&e=
4&u=/ap/20050111/ap_on_re_as/china_ousted_leader



News

Corruption
Cadre kills himself by jumping from hotel
SCMP, January 8, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ4799HJ3E.html

408 Beijing government officials charged for corruption in 2004
北京2004年共有408名國家公職人員落入法網
CRI Online, January 9, 2005
http://big5.chinabroadcast.cn/gate/big5/gb.chinabroadcast.cn/3821/2005/
01/09/1385@416937.htm

Death penalty
Gansu official sentenced to death for corruption amounted to 7 million yuan
甘肅“第一貪”涉案金額700萬昨日終審被判死刑
CRI Online, January 10, 2005
http://big5.chinabroadcast.cn/gate/big5/gb.chinabroadcast.cn/3821/2005/
01/11/301@418699.htm

Environment
Draft law encourages more use of renewable energy
Xinhuanet.com, January 11, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-01/11/content_2443283.htm

Law change gives pollution victims redress
SCMP, January 7, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ9AO7HJ3E.html

Gender
Female detectives told to back off
SCMP, January 8, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZL0B5HJ3E.html

1.3b milestone timely symbol of huge gender gap
SCMP, January 7, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ5AO7HJ3E.html

Gender – abuse / domestic violence
Prevention measures need as extra-marital affairs often come long with domestic violence
重婚包二奶與家庭暴力相伴而生 須防范懲治並舉
Chinesenewsnet.com, January 9, 2005
http://www.1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/mainnews/mainland/zxs_2005-
01-09_526183.shtml

Human rights
Featured article: the quest for individual rights – reading “taking rights seriously 《认真对待权利》” in prison
刘晓波：必须争取个人权利──狱中读《认真对待权利》
Chinesenewsnet.com, January 11, 2005
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/Opinion/2005_1_10_
17_57_56_404.html

Labour – employment / union
Union to take measures in helping re-employment of Xiagang (下崗) workers
中國工會將採取措施幫助下崗失業人員再就業
CRI Online, January 9, 2005
http://big5.chinabroadcast.cn/gate/big5/gb.chinabroadcast.cn/3821/2005/
01/09/1385@416949.htm

Migrant workers
Migrant workers' rights better protected
Xinhuanet.com, January 10, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-01/10/content_2441259.htm

'Make sure migrant workers get paid'
SCMP, January 8, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZDYR7HJ3E.html

Police – administrative detention
China denies claims over the links of Mao Hengfeng’s labour camp detention to family planning policy
中国否认毛恒凤劳教与计划生育政策有关
Radio Free Asia, January 10, 2005
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2005/01/10/maohenfeng/

Politics
Economists gain influence in the corridors of power
SCMP, January 11, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZJIE9HJ3E.html

Population - urbanization
Urbanization may cause geological disasters
ChinaDaily.com, January 10, 2005
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-01/10/content_407604.htm

Poverty
Poverty standard – a test of social consciousness and government policy
“贫困标准”考验社会良心和政府决策
China Youth Daily, January 11, 2005
http://zqb.cyol.com/gb/zqb/2005-01/11/content_1012714.htm

Poverty – rural poverty (poverty gap)
Action needed now to confront wealth gap
Xinhuanet.com, January 11, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-01/11/content_2444365.htm

Poll: Incomes Up in Urban China
AP, January 10, 2005
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=516&ncid=731&e
=10&u=/ap/20050110/ap_on_re_as/china_attitudes

Protests and petitions
Courts may be shielded from petitions
SCMP, January 8, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZWPIBHJ3E.html

It's curtains for popular Silk Market
SCMP, January 7, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZY459HJ3E.html

Public health
Only half of nation able to see doctors
SCMP, January 11, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ32OBHJ3E.html

Health system faces up to great challenges
Xinhuanet.com, January 10, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-01/10/content_2441341.htm

Urban doctors to assist rural services
Xinhuanet.com, January 10, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-01/10/content_2440865.htm

Survey adds weight to obesity fears
SCMP, January 8, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZB499HJ3E.html

China to Make Sex-Selective Abortions a Crime
Reuters via YahooNews.com, January 7, 2005
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050107/hl_nm/
abortion_china_dc_1

Religion
Church prayers may be answered
SCMP, January 8, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ4799HJ3E.html

Underground church bishop arrested
中国逮捕地下教会主教贾志国
Voice of America, January 7, 2005
http://www1.voanews.com/Chinese/article.cfm?ObjectID=4A95B2A5
-6050-4354-92F1035302DAD88C