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, June 14, 2005

June 14, 2005

Top news of the day

June 4th - EU arms ban
EU plan to lift ban on arms sales postponed
SCMP, June 14, 2005
European Union would postpone the bill of lifting the 16-year arms embargo against China to next year due to concerns of human right development and military balance within the East Asian region.
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZBE1ZEU9E.html

Media - Internet
Microsoft's China sites ban 'freedom'
SCMP, June 14, 2005
To appease Beijing’s rigid internet control, Microsoft blocked the words “democracy” and “freedom” and “human right” from its China-based internal portal. Other words like “Taiwan independence” and “demonstration” were also forbidden in the company’s free blog services and MSN space.
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZP3FSGA9E.html



News

Corruption
Corrupt officials blamed for 80pc of bank scandals
SCMP, June 14, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZPA5ZFA9E.html

Death Penalty
Fujian children trafficker sentenced to death
福建长汀特大拐卖儿童案一主犯被判处死刑
Chinesenewsnet, June 14, 2005
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/SinoNews/Main
land/xhw_2005_06_13_22_55_19_920.html

Detention – Ching Cheong (程翔)
Stand up for journalists' rights, Hong Kong
SCMP, June 14, 2005
http://focus.scmp.com/focusnews/ZZZWCC4GA9E.html

Education
180,000 yuan needed to finish 12 years schooling up to senior secondary education in China, survey shows
高考学子家庭教育成本调查:求学12年共计18万
EastDay.com, June 14, 2005
http://china.eastday.com/eastday/news/node37955/node37957/
node37979/node68257/userobject1ai1179061.html

Environment – water
Trading water rights a solution to ease water shortage in China, experts suggest
400多座城市缺水 专家：依法进行用水权交易
SCMP, June 14, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2005-06/13/content_3077
180.htm

Food security – GM food
GM rice is in shops in Guangzhou
SCMP, June 14, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZNE1ZEU9E.html

Gender – reproductive health
Infertility rate increased 20 times in two decades
我国不孕不育人群比例20年增10倍 成第3大顽疾
Xinhuanet.com, June 13 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2005-06/14/content_
3081472.htm

Law / Human Rights – Human rights defenders
Lawyer in prejudice case 'forced to resign'
SCMP, June 14, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZ9B5ZFA9E.html

Law - legal profession
Beijing lawyers break through barrier
China Daily, June 14, 2005
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-06/14/content_
451223.htm

Law - legal reform
Police to be restricted from searching suspects’ houses at night to protect human rights, according to a proposed amendment of the Criminal Law
刑法修正案強調保護人權 要求警察不得夜搜民宅
CRI Online, June 14, 2005
http://big5.chinabroadcast.cn/gate/big5/gb.chinabroadcast.cn/38
21/2005/06/14/107@581934.htm

Protests and petitions
For Chinese, Peasant Revolt Is Rare Victory
Washington Post, June 13, 2005
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2005/
06/12/AR2005061201531.html

Public health – HIV Aids
China to announce new laws to defend Aids patients’ rights later this year
中国保护艾滋患者法可能年底出台
Voice of America, June 13, 2005
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2005-06-13-voa72.cfm

Resettlement
Six killed as thugs attack holdouts in Hebei village
SCMP, June 14, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZ3B5ZFA9E.html

Resettlement- Infrastructure-Three Gorges
81,3000 residents relocated for dam project
China Daily, June 14, 2005
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-06/14/content
_451320.htm

North Korea
China urged not to abandon its obligations on North Korean refugees
Australia Broadcasting Corporation via China Digital News, June 13, 2005
http://www.abcasiapacific.com/news/stories_to/asiapacific_
stories_lofi_1391070.htm