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, March 31, 2005

April 1, 2005

Top news of the day

Prison
Top Guangzhou Hospital Does Roaring Trade in Executed Prisoner Organs
Radio Free Asia, March 31, 2005
Guangzhou Hospitals sold executed prisoner organs for organ transplant operations. Rights groups condemned the practice a violation of prisoners’ rights as families of the prisons are not often informed.
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/2005/03/31/china_organs/

Religion – Christianity
China Arrests Catholic Priest in Crackdown on Underground Churches
Voice of America, March 31, 2005
Chinese authorities have arrested a Catholic priest Zhao Kesun (趙克勛), in Hebei this week. Zhao, believed to be in his mid-70s, was amongst more than 30 priests and other religious practitioners who have been detained in Hebei recently for worshiping in churches that are not sanctioned by the State.
http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-03-31-voa20.cfm



News

Death penalty
The challenges of returning death penalty review to the Supreme Court
收回死刑复核权难在哪里
Nangfang Weekend, March 31, 2005
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/zm/20050331/xw/fz/200503
310009.asp


Education - compulsory
PARENTS PAY TOO MUCH FOR EDUCATION
China Daily, 1 April 2005
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-04/01/content_
430102.htm


Government – elections
Village self-governance in village as compared to that in the old days
从比较中谈村民自治
Nanfang Weekend, March 31, 2005
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/zm/20050331/xw/sd/2005
03310030.asp


Human rights
Freedom House condemned the world’s six most repressive regimes in the UN Human Rights meeting in Geneva
“自由之家”:联合国人权委包括世界上六个最具压迫性政权
Radio Free Asia, March 31, 2005
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2005/03/31/unhr/


June 4th - arms embargo

Chasing the dragon: It should not have taken American pressure to keep Europe from selling arms to China
The Guardian, 1 April 2005
http://www.guardian.co.uk/eu/story/0,7369,1444661,00.html

Law
34 new laws in effect on April 1
34部新法今日起开始实施 与百姓生活息息相关
Xinhuanet.com, April 1, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2005-04/01/content_
2770940.htm


Law – legal rights
Huo Qimen’s long march to defend his rights through legal process
霍其民的诉讼人生
Nanfang Weekend, March 31, 2005
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/zm/20050331/xw/zmxwzt/
200503310017.asp



Media – Press freedom
Nanfang City News ‘advised’ not to publish sensitive financial news
《南方都市报》禁刊敏感财经消息
Chinesenewsnet.com, April 1, 2005
http://www4.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/Forums/Back
Stage/2005_3_31_17_24_12_476.html


Media - Internet censorship
Muzzled on Campus; Beijing cracks down on unruly student Web sites.
Newsweek International, 4 April 2005
It was a quiet protest. Over three hours, several hundred students gathered around a monument at the center of Beijing's prestigious Tsing-hua University. They left paper cranes, handwritten notes and flower wreaths.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7305061/site/newsweek/

Virtual Possibilities: China and the Internet: The Genie Is Out of the Chinese Bottle
The Asian Wall Street Journal, April 01, 2005
The fact that millions of Chinese have gathered online to protest Japan's bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council will come as no surprise to anyone who has spent more than 10 minutes on the mainland. Anti-Japanese sentiment permeates all levels of society.
http://www.howardwfrench.com/archives/2005/04/01/virtual_
possibilities_china_and_the_internet_the_genie_is_out_of_the_
chinese_bottle/


Natural resources and energies – Water
Experts petition the government to revise national standards for drinking waters which has yet to be changed for 20 years
国家饮水标准二十年未变 专家联名上书宜尽早修订
Nanfang Weekend, March 31, 2005
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/zm/20050331/xw/kx/200503
310020.asp


Politics
China Turns Back Clock Under New Leaders: Veteran Dissident Liu Binyan
Radio Free Asia, March 30, 2005
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/2005/03/30/china_liubinyan/

Population – urbanization
More than 300m set to make urban move in 15 years
The Standard, April 1, 2005
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/stdn/std/China/GD01Ad06.html

Public health - HIV/AIDS
China to launch nationwide AIDS reporting system via Internet
People's Daily, April 1, 2005
http://english.people.com.cn/200503/31/eng20050331_178839.
html


Society - race
True colours; Reaction to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's Beijing visit suggests judgments based on race and sex are an entrenched part of mainland life
South China Morning Post, 1 April 2005
http://focus.scmp.com/focusnews/ZZZ3ATTOY6E.html

March 31, 2005

Top news of the day

Religion - Christianity
Exiled Chinese Christians complain to UN over religion persecutions and torture in China
中國逃亡基督徒在聯合國控訴虐待
Voice of America, March 30, 2005
Chairman of Christian Society in China testified before UN Human Rights Committee that Christians in China were tortured by the authority for their religious belief. Activists of religious right in China were put under arrests and beat-up by police.
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2005-03-30-voa58.cfm



News

Children
Air Pollution Presents Health Challenge for China's Children
Voice of America, March 30, 2005
Health expert warned that severe air pollution in Beijing might posed threats on children’s health as pollution was the major cause to the growing number of infected acute respiratory patients in the city.
http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-03-30-voa21.cfm

Death penalty
Humanize death penalty
为死刑注入人道基因
Legal Daily, March 31, 2005
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/2005-03/31/content_2009
72.htm


Food security – food safety
Food waste repackaged for unwary consumers
SCMP, March 31, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZZ4WE1M6E.html

Environment
Pollution effort lacking despite no shortage of cash
AFP via the Standard, March 31, 2005
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/stdn/std/China/GC31Ad02.html

Gender
Abortion illegal after 14 weeks of pregnancy
正常怀孕超14周禁止人流
Beijingnews.com, March 31, 2005
http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/2005/0331/09@0142
25.html


Gender – sexual harassment
71% of Chinese women sexually harassed?
China Daily, March 31, 2005
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-03/31/content
_429924.htm


Gender - marriage
Students in no hurry to marry after ban is lifted
SCMP, March 31, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZ6UX50W6E.html

Gender – reproductive health / Public health
Fertility industry takes off in China; doctors concerned about abuses
AFP via YahooNews.com, March 31, 2005
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20050331/hl_
afp/healthchinafertility_050331024054


Government – governance and accountability
State media clarifies office to citizen ratio should be 1:197.69
《中国人事报》:我国官民比是1:197.69
Sina.com, March 28, 2005
http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2005-03-28/13285486084s.shtml

Human Rights - Human right defenders
China Turns Back Clock Under New Leaders: Veteran Dissident Liu Binyan
Radio Free Asia, March 30, 2005
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/2005/03/30/china_liubinyan/

Human rights – freedom of speech (intellectuals)
Zheng Yichun explains his dismissal
焦國標談他為何被北大解職
Voice of America, March 30, 2005
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/2005-03-30-voa99.cfm

June 4th –EU arms ban
Anti-Session Bill gives EU an excuse for not lifting the arm ban, Expert says
專家:中國送給歐盟不解禁藉口
Chinesenewsnet.com, March 31, 2005
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/Topics/2005_3
_30_20_7_6_184.html


Schroeder may defy MPs on ban
SCMP, March 31, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZB6WE1M6E.html

Law – legal reform
“Numbers and quotas” in Chinese Criminal Law
我国刑法中的犯罪数额问题
Legal Daily, March 31, 2005
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/2005-03/31/content_2009
66.htm


Migrant workers
Interpretation of legal protection to rural migrant workers
解读农民工的法律保护
Legal Daily, March 31, 2005
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/2005-03/31/content_2009
67.htm


Public Health- HIV-AIDS
HIV rate soars in southern China city
China National News, March 31, 2005
http://story.chinanationalnews.com/p.x/ct/9/cid/9366300fc9319e
9b/id/7d28957831ff7112/


China to gather AIDS information on-line
Xinhuanet, March 30, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-03/30/content_2765
639.htm


Rural issues
Causes and preventional measures against rural crimes
农村犯罪成因及预防对策研究
Legal Daily, March 31, 2005
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/2005-03/31/content_2009
63.htm


Society
A harmonious society is a society ruling by law
和谐社会就是法治社会
Legal Daily, March 31, 2005
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/2005-03/31/content_2009
62.htm