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.

Friday, February 24, 2006

February 24, 2006

Top News of the Day

Human Rights Defenders – Yu Zhijian (余志坚)
Mao Portrait Attacker Held over Subversion
SCMP, February 24, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZRKIUH8JE.html
Yu Zhijian, 43, a former high school teacher and one of the people who threw paint on Mao Zedong’s portrait in 1989, has been detained on suspicion of incitement to subvert state power. He was taken away by state security officers from his home in Liuyang, Hunan Province, on February 18, 2006, after participating in a hunger strike in support of dissident lawyer Gao Zhisheng's call for an end to the persecution of activists.


News

Death Penalty
民警绑架杀害堂侄被判死刑 (Security Officer Sentenced to Death for Murdering Nephew)
The Beijing News, February 24, 2006
http://news.thebeijingnews.com/china/2006/0223/014@
162668.htm


Food Security
Grain Consumption to Outpace Output
Xinhuanet, February 24, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-02/24/content_
4220248.htm


Gender – Sex Workers
“平时是天使 周末是魔鬼” (The Plight of Sex Workers)
Nanfang Weekend, February 23, 2006
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/zm/20060223/xw/tb/2006
02230006.asp


Government – Grassroots Election
Villagers Need Real Autonomy, Official Says
SCMP, February 24, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZM4NTH8JE.html

Human Rights Defenders
中国抗艾滋人士胡嘉下落不明 (AIDS Activist Reported Missing)
Voice of America, February 23, 2004
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2006-02-23-voa
46.cfm


June 4th - Prisoners
六四蛋掷毛像者获释但精神失常 (Tiananmen Activist Yu Dongyue Released, but Said to Be 'Mentally Ill')
Voice of America, February 23, 2006
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2006-02-23-voa
42.cfm


Labor
Deadbeat Bosses Put on Notice
SCMP, February 24, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZB8CTH8JE.html

Land Policy
中国改善征地制度出路在何处? (How Can We Improve the System of Land Acquisition?)
Voice of America, February 24, 2006
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2006-02-24-
voa3.cfm


Law – Court System
最高法院:完善用人制度解决基层法官断层问题 (Supreme Court: Improving Court Personnel and Recruitment System is Key to Solving Problems in Lower-level Courts)
Xinhuanet, February 23, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2006-02/23/content_
4218911.htm


Media – Internet Censorship
China's Censored Media Answers Back
BBC, February 23, 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4743274.stm

China's Media Censorship Rattling World Image
Christian Science Monitor, February 24, 2006
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0224/p01s04-wo
ap.html


Breaching China's Great Firewall
Christian Science Monitor, February 24, 2006
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0224/p08s01-com
v.html?s=itm


网吧须在3月底前安装摄像头 (Shenzhen Internet Cafes Ordered to Install Cameras and Monitoring Devices by March)
Legal Daily, February 24, 2006
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/2006-02/24/content_
271062.htm


Population – Aging Population
全国老龄办百年预测 2050年每10人将有3位老人 (Three Out of 10 People Are Elderly in 2050, Report Shows)
EastDay.com, February 24, 2006
http://china.eastday.com/eastday/node81741/node81762/
node120141/userobject1ai1872350.html


Politics - NPC
百姓对"两会"的八大期盼 (Public Expect NPC and CCPCC to Deal with 8 Major Issues in Upcoming Conferences)
EastDay.com, February 24, 2006
http://china.eastday.com/eastday/node81741/node81762/node
120141/userobject1ai1873157.html


异议人士两会前夕呼吁取缔特务机关 (Dissidents Urge Authorities to Ban Espionage Organs and Stop Violating Human Rights Prior to Start of NPC and CCPCC Conferences)
RFA, February 24, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/02/
23/lianghui/


Protests and Petitions
Social Unrest Takes Heavy Toll on Police Ranks
SCMP, February 24, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZQVJUH8JE.html

Zhongshan Party Chief on Defensive over Clashes
SCMP, February 24, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZEJMTH8JE.html

东师古又有村民被抓 陈光诚表示抗议 (Blind Activist Chen Guangcheng Protests Local Authority’s Power Abuse After More Villagers Are Taken Away by Police)
RFA, February 23, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/02/
23/chenguangcheng/


Rural Issues
“我把农村想得太简单了” (An Interview on Rural Issues with Ma Yonghong)
Nanfang Weekend, February 23, 2006
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/zm/20060223/xw/
zmxwzt/200602230023.asp


Number of Farmers on the Decline
Xinhuanet, February 24, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-02/23/content
_4217905.htm


Society
Housing, Education and Jobs Top Urbanites' Worries
China Daily, February 24, 2006
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2006-02/24/
content_523489.htm