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, August 22, 2006

August 22, 2006

Top News of the Day

Human Rights Defenders – Journalist - Zhao Yan (赵岩)
Times Researcher's Court Hearing Scheduled for Friday
SCMP, August 22, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZW5GL74RE.html
According to the lawyer for Zhao Yan, the New York Times researcher who has been detained since September 2004 on charges of revealing state secrets, a court hearing has been scheduled on this Friday (August 26) for Zhao's case. Zhao was tried in June of this year, but no verdict was reached.

News

Children
中国全国共有15万“流浪未成年人” (China has 150,000 Vagrant Minors)
BBC, August 19, 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/trad/hi/newsid_5260000/newsid_
5267700/5267782.stm


Civil Society - Public Participation
公众参与是环保可持续发展的根本力量 (Public Participation is the Key to Sustainable Development of Environment Protection)
Legal Daily, August 22, 2006
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/2006-08/22/content_390
231.htm


Corruption
Beijing Cracks the Whip on Rogue Projects
Asia Times Online, August 22, 2006
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China_Business/HH22Cb03.html

Most People Believe Kickbacks Crackdown Will Fail: Survey
SCMP, August 22, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZE3ZJ74RE.html

Environment
重污染企业迁址农村之后 (Moving Heavily Polluting Factories from Cities to Countryside Has Only Shifted the Problem to Rural Areas)
Xinhuanet, August 22, 2006
http://zqb.cyol.com/content/2006-08/22/content_1486656.htm

Corruption is Linked to Pollution in China
International Herald Tribune, August 21, 2006
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/08/21/news/smog.php

南水北调水源成纳污河” (The Plan to "Move Water from South to North" Appears to Have Worsened Water Pollution)
The Beijing News, August 22, 2006
http://news.thebeijingnews.com/0567/2006/08-22/014@
203461.htm


Government
因灾死亡人数公布方式将改进 (Authorities to Improve Mechanism for Reporting Death Tolls of Disasters)
The Beijing News, August 22, 2006
http://news.thebeijingnews.com/0565/2006/08-22/014@
035613.htm


中国彻底废除幹部职务终身制 (China Set to Abolish Life Tenure System of Leaders and Cadres)
BBC, August 20, 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/trad/hi/newsid_5260000/newsid
_5269100/5269122.stm


Human Rights Defenders – Journalist - Ching Cheong (程翔)
Journalist's Trial Lasted Seven Hours
SCMP, August 22, 2006
http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZ4SRR74RE.html

Human Rights Defenders – Lawyer - Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚)
陈光诚庭审结束 当局打压维权人士未停 (Court Hearing for Blind Activist Chen Guangcheng Ended, but Crackdown on Rights Activists Continues)
Radio Free Asia, August 21, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/08/21/
chenguangcheng/


Human Rights Defenders – Lawyer - Gao Zhisheng (高智晟)
高智晟妻儿被软禁 海内外呼吁释放高 (Family of Detained Rights Lawyer Gao Zhisheng Under House Arrest, While Rights Activists Call for His Release)
Radio Free Asia, August 21, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/08/21/
gaozhisheng/


Labor
上海最低工资竟被当做了标准工资来执行 (Shanghai Hospital Adopts Minimum Wage as Standard for Low-ranking Support Staff)
Xinhuanet, August 22, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2006-08/22/content_
4990202.htm


Land Policy / Protests and Petitions
浙江农民护地和政府冲突 (Zhejiang Farmers Clash with Local Government over Land Grab)
Radio Free Asia, August 21, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/08/21/
chongtu/


Media - Internet Censorship
广东百余家网站 仅有少数获审批 (Of 100 Websites Registered in Guangdong, Just a Handful Pass Stringent Internet Monitoring Mechanism)
Legal Daily, August 22, 2006
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/2006-08/22/content_
390234.htm


Media - Censorship / Press Freedom
报道拆教堂 记者遭开除 (Reporter Detained and Sacked After Covering Demolition of Protestant Church in Zhejiang)
Ming Pao, August 22, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060822/cab1.htm

Politics - NPC
五百独立人士参选中国人大代表 (500 Candidates to Run as Independents in Local People's Congress Elections)
Voice of America, August 20, 2006
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2006-08-20-voa35.cfm

Religion
中国政府控制及打压宗教力度升级 (China Tightens Control over Religion as Crackdown on Religious Activities Intensifies)
Voice of America, August 20, 2006
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2006-08-20-voa38.cfm

State Security – Terrorism
中国与哈萨克斯坦将联合举行反恐演习 (China, Kazakhstan Team up for Anti-Terrorism Exercise)
Xinhuanet, August 21, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2006-08/21/content_
4989026.htm


Xinjiang
维吾尔人不满情绪,北京尽在眼底? (Does Beijing Realize the Level of Discontent that Exists Among Uighurs?)
Chinesenewsnet.com, August 21, 2006
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/SinoNews/
Mainland/2006_8_21_15_12_42_468.html
2_42_468.html