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, September 08, 2005

September 8, 2005

Top News of the Day

Detention – Sun Xiaodi (孙小弟)
Beijing Petitioned on Behalf of Missing Activist Sun Xiaodi
Human Rights in China Press Release, 08/09/2005
HRIC reported that Sun has disappeared for over 130 since April 28 after his interview with AFP journalist speaking about the corruption by mine officials and alleging the continued illicit production which caused serious environmental pollution and radiation sickness in the production area. More than 150 people have signed petition letter and addressed to President Hu Jintao to call for Sun's immediate release.
http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/press?revision%5fid=
24561&item%5fid=24560



News

Detention – Hu Jia (胡佳)/ UN
Hu Jia detained during the UN High Commissioner' visit
胡佳因UN人权高专访华而被软禁近半月
Radio Free Asia, 08/09/2005
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2005/09/07/hujia/

Economic Issues
More reforms needed in China, OECD says
AP via International Herald Tribune, 08/09/2005
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/09/07/business/yuan.php

Education - Basic education / Rural Issues
Free education in rural area not "entirely free", senior official from Ministry of Education explains
农村义务教育并非全免费
The Beijing News, 08/09/2005
http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/2005/0908/05@0128
35.html


Gender - Sexual harassment / Law
Lawyer explains Beijing's first sexual harassment lawsuit
律师解析京城性骚扰第一案
Legal Daily, 08/09/2005
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/misc/2005-09/08/content_1922
86.htm


Human Rights / NGOs
Rights activists call confinement 'ridiculous'
SCMP, 08/09/2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZ1F9RH9DE.html

Human rights conditions in China since Hu in power
分析胡锦涛上台后中国人权状况
Voice of America, 07/09/2005
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2005-09-07-voa63.cfm

Labor - Disasters
17 killed in underground blaze hell
By Zhu Zhe, China Daily, 08/09/2005

http://www2.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-09/08/cont
ent_476023.htm


Law
Public consultation soon becomes a standard procedure for law-making in China
倾听公民意见渐成中国立法规定程序
Xinhuanet.com, 08/09/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2005-09/08/content_3460
751.htm


Grass-roots judicial work needs strengthening
Xinhuanet.com, 07/09/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-09/07/content_345
8899.htm


Law - Legal reform / UN
Expert: ratifying UN Anti-Corruption treaty will strengthen efforts in reforming China's criminal law framework
学者:联合国反腐败公约将牵动中国刑事司法改革
China News Agency, 07/09/2005
http://www.chinanews.com.cn//news/2005/2005-09-07/8/6
22265.shtml


China consider revising its Criminal Procedure Law to pave way for entering the United Nations civil and political rights convention
为加入国际人权公约我国拟修改刑诉法
China Youth Daily, 08/09/2005
http://zqb.cyol.com/gb/zqb/2005-09/08/content_61106.htm

Law on mental health in the making
Xinhua, 08/09/2005

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-09/07/content_3459
317.htm


Media - Internet
China top the league of internet censorship, Group says
互 聯 網 審 查   中 國 最 厲 害
Apple Daily, 08/09/2005
http://appledaily.atnext.com/template/apple/art_main.cfm?
sec_id=15335&showdate=20050908&art_id=5206399
d=5206399

Media-Internet
Yahoo says must abide by law in China after accusations
By John Ruwitch, Reuters, 08/09/2005
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=world
News&storyID=2005-09-08T070105Z_01_FOR825201_RTR
IDST_0_INTERNATIONAL-RIGHTS-CHINA-YAHOO-DC.XML
&archived=False


Media - Press freedom/censorship
Firms face moral dilemma in China
BBC.com, 07/09/2005
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4222866.stm

NGOs
Guangdong NGOs get independent watchdog
SCMP, 08/09/2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZ2W57I9DE.html

Protests and Petitions
90% of the petitions resolved under the campaign of receiving letters and petition
沉甸甸的收获:九成停访息诉
Legal Daily, 08/09/2005
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/misc/2005-09/08/content_192
185.htm


Protests and petitions / Politics
Hu at pains to keep China from peasants’ revolt
Financial Times, 08/09/2005

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/75793a7e-1fd0-11da-853a-00000
e2511c8.html


Public Health
Nation-wide medical insurance scheme targets to be in place in 2010
全民醫保成醫改遠期目標 2010年城鎮居民全覆蓋
CRI Online, 07/09/2005
http://big5.chinabroadcast.cn/gate/big5/gb.chinabroadcast.cn/
3821/2005/09/07/1062@689688.htm


Religion - Christianity
Czech Bishop speak of his China visit: there are people spying me everyday
捷克天主教副主教谈中国之旅
Voice of America, 07/09/2005
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2005-09-07-voa69.cfm

Religion-Falun Gong
Falun Gong practitioner begs Ottawa to abandon deportation order
Canadian Press, 8/09/2005

http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/story.html
?id=435211ef-2aea-4366-82bf-a4ad9a9e79ec

Rural Issues - Poverty
Rural consumption ten years behind cities
Xinhua, 08/09/2005

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-09/07/content_345
9324.htm


Three Gorges
Three Gorges Project operates safely
Xinhuanet.com, 08/09/2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-09/07/content_34
58446.htm


Tibet
U.S may accept Tibetan refugees hiding in Nepal
专家谈美考虑接纳藏族难民
Voice of America, 07/09/2005
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2005-09-07-voa83.cfm


Women - Women’s Rights
Study: Gender inequality serious in rural areas
By Wang Ying, China Daily, 08/09/2005

http://www2.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-09/08/cont
ent_476025.htm