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.

Monday, August 08, 2005

August 6-8, 2005

Top news of the day

Detention – Chen Shaowen (陈少文)
Dissident writer Chen Shaowen released after serving three years in prison
狱中作家陈少文刑满出狱
Peacehall, 08/08/2005
Dissident writer Chen Shaowen(陈少文) was freed on May 5 after serving 3 years in prison for incitement of state security in 2002.
http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/china/2005/08/200508
080742.shtml


Detention – Feng Bingxian (冯秉先)/ Protests and Petitions
Representative of Shaanbei oil field shareholders arrested
陕北油农维权代表冯秉先被逮捕
Voice of America, 07/08/2005
Feng Bingxian(冯秉先), a representative of a group of Shannxi oil field shareholders, has been arrested by the Wuhan police on his way to a CCTV interview on May 26. Feng was arrested by the police once last year and warned that he should not "stir up more troubles" again. Feng's son believed that the interview appointment was a "trap" to setup the arrest of his father.
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2005-08-07-voa31.cfm


News

Border Territories/Issues-North Korea
Six parties agree to recess N.Korea talks: China
Reuters, August 6, 2005
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNew
s&storyID=2005-08-07T032532Z_01_PEK131648_RTRIDST_
0_NEWS-KOREA-NORTH-DC.XML


Border Territories/Issues-Tibet
Fear on the roof of the world: How China haunts Tibet
The Independent, August 8, 2005
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article304415.ece

Corruption / Government - Governance and accountability
Beijing fails to reverse flight of corrupt officials
SCMP, 08/08/2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ8ARHRZBE.html

The cost of reporting corrupted officials in China
在中国举报贪官的代价有多大?
Asia Times Online, 06/08/2005
http://news.online.sh.cn/news/gb/content/2005-08/06/content
_1274511.htm


Death Penalty
Haikou court sentence two drug traffickers to death
广西海南贩毒通道两毒犯一审判死刑
Legal Daily, 08/08/2005
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/misc/2005-08/08/content_178
290.htm


Leader of a cross-border children trafficking gang sentenced to death
跨国贩卖44儿童主犯被判死刑
The Beijing News, 08/08/2005
http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/2005/0808/09@0213
03.html


Hefei gang leader executed as High Court uphold death penalty verdict
合肥涉黑第一案終審判決 黑老大胡斌被執行死刑
CRI Online, 06/08/2005
http://big5.chinabroadcast.cn/gate/big5/gb.chinabroadcast.cn/38
21/2005/08/06/107@650650.htm


Detention – Ching Cheong (程翔)
Journalists turn up heat in attempt to secure a fair trial
SCMP, 08/08/2005
http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZWTKOSZBE.html

For more news clippings on Ching Cheong’s case, please go to HRIC Special News Brief on Ching Cheong:
http://hric-newsbrief.blogspot.com/2005/08/special-news-
brief-on-ching-cheong-may.html



Food Security
Survey: Food safety people's top concern
Xinhuanet.com, 08/08/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-08/08/content_332
3279.htm


Gender - Domestic violence
Mainland is facing up to the scourge of domestic violence
SCMP, 08/08/2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ1RQHRZBE.html

Gender – Abuse / Law
Xinjiang court convicts husband of raping wife, setting precedence of rape cases in China
丈夫可成为强奸罪主体 新疆判决婚内强奸案
People's Daily, 08/08/2005
http://legal.people.com.cn/GB/42735/3598784.html

Government - Governance and accountability
Leading researcher in People's University urges for a clear division of governing power between government and mayor
给权力划清边界
China Youth Daily, 08/08/2005
http://zqb.cyol.com/gb/zqb/2005-08/08/content_43547.htm

Unpack the governing power of mayor
解剖市长权力
China Youth Daily, 08/08/2005
http://zqb.cyol.com/gb/zqb/2005-08/08/content_43552.htm

Human Rights
Defector Slams China on Rights Abuses
AP via YahooNews.com, 08/08/2005
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050806/ap_
on_re_ca/canada_chinese_defector
_1%20

Labor-Disasters
Hopes fade for 102 trapped in flooded China mine
Reuters, August 8, 2005
http://asia.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNe
ws&storyID=2005-08-08T062308Z_01_N08299749_RTRIDS
T_0_INTERNATIONAL-CHINA-MINE-DC.XML


Law - Legal reform
People' Procuratorate to be given power to file cases of public interest as proposed in the draft revision of the Civil Procedure Law
检察院有望可提起公益诉讼
The Beijing News, 08/08/2005
http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/2005/0808/09@02
2958.html


Witness testifying in court to be written in the draft revision of the Criminal Procedure Law, as less than 8% of criminal cases with witness presence in court
证人要出庭作证将写进新刑诉法 现出庭率不超8%
People's Daily, 08/08/2005
http://legal.people.com.cn/GB/42735/3598320.html

Law - Legal aid
Over 3,000 legal aid organizations operate in China, showing progress of China's legal aid system
机构逾三千 中国法律援助制度进入发展完善阶段
China News Agency, 07/08/2005
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/news/2005/2005-08-07/26/608
862.shtml


Media - Press freedom/censorship
China Bans Foreign Investors From News Industry
Radio Free Asia, 05/08/2005
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/politics/2005/08/05/china_
media/


Olympics
Sensitive Beijing a threat to Games
The Australian, August 8, 2005
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5
744,16185834%5E2703,00.html


Population
NW forum on population, development opens
Xinhuanet.com, 08/08/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-08/07/content_3320
909.htm


30th anniversary of China's family planning policy: doing good or bad?
中国计划生育政策三十年正反评价不一
ChinaNewsman.net, 07/08/2005
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/SinoNews/Main
land/cna_2005_08_07_08_09_09
_547.html

Population program "much more than" fertility control
Xinhuanet.com, 07/08/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-08/07/content_33211
30.htm


Family planning policy saves China 300 mln births
People’s Daily Online, August 8, 2005
http://english1.peopledaily.com.cn/200508/08/eng20050808_20
0955.html


Protests and Petitions / Police - Abuse
Survey shows 90% of petition is related to police and public security system
中国公安部官员:执法中引发治安信访问题占九成
China News Agency, 08/08/2005
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/news/2005/2005-08-06/26/608
802.shtml


What do we know about the petitioners village in Beijing
北京上访村见闻
Voice of America, 05/08/2005
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2005-08-05-voa61.cfm

Public Health
Anthrax hits China as pig disease festers
Reuters, August 7, 2005
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PEK131976.htm

SARS vaccine approved for clinical study
Xinhua, August 7, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-08/07/content_33197
30.htm


Chinese officials fired for pig disease cover-up
Reuters, August 8, 2005
http://today.reuters.com/News/CrisesArticle.aspx?storyId=PEK
301619


Religion - Christianity
Chinese priest: we need help to form priests in the official Church
AsiaNews, August 8, 2005
http://www.asianews.it/view_p.php?l=en&art=3875

Resettlement - Forceful eviction / Protests and Petitions
Thousands residents in Hubei Daye City surround city government building to show grievances over redevelopment project
不满“撤市建区” 湖北大冶数万抗议者包围当地政府
Radio Free Asia, 07/08/2005
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2005/08/07/hubei/

Social Security
Social security fund to increase
Xinhuanet.com, 06/08/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-08/06/content_3316
437.htm


Society - suicide
Chinese farmer sets off bomb on bus; 23 injured
Reuters, August 8, 2005
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PEK163742.htm

Tibet
Few in Tibet know that Dalai Lama has chosen 11th Panchen Lama as China block information and determine to choose her own
达赖喇嘛选定的十一世班禅至今在西藏鲜为人知
Radio Free Asia, 08/08/2005
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2005/08/07/xizang/