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, September 18, 2006

September 16-18, 2006

Top News of the Day
Human Rights Defender – Lawyer - Guo Feixiong (郭飞雄)
China Detains Top Guangdong Rights Lawyer
Radio Free Asia, September 15, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/2006/09/15/china_guofeixiong
Human rights lawyer Guo Feixiong (郭飞雄) has been held under criminal detention since September 14 for "running an illegal business," according to his wife Zhang Qing. The authorities searched their home and took away computers, handwritten papers, notebooks and a cell phone. Guo first came to media attention for participating in a campaign which called for the impeachment of a corrupt village head in Taishi, Guangdong Province. He also worked for rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who is currently in detention.

Protests and Petitions - Corruption
Petitioners Beaten After Corruption Complaints
SCMP, September 18, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ836M9CRE.html
According to Human Rights in China, at least 17 petitioners have been beaten and detained by local police after attempting to meet the inspection team from the Central Discipline Inspection Committee, China's top corruption watchdog, in August.
News
Corruption
'Audit Storm' Finds Billions Misused by Officials
SCMP, September 18, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZX97M9CRE.html

Death Penalty
驻京周记﹕有钱杀人犯判死缓 无钱政府不覆核死刑 (Commentary: Death Sentence for Rich Murderer Is Reduced, Yet Government Says it Has No Funds to Review Death Sentences)
Ming Pao, September 18, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060918/ccf1.htm

“12•18”全国最大贩枪团伙案主犯被执行死刑 (Leader of Gun Smuggling Ring Executed in Gansu Province)
Xinhuanet, September 15, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2006-09/15/conte
nt_5094970.htm

Education
Lack of Funds Hampers Drive to End Illiteracy
SCMP, September 17, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZS26M9CRE.html

Environment
我国水污染事故频频发生 污染责任人却鲜受惩处 (Those Responsible for Water Pollution Incidents Rarely Punished)
Xinhuanet, September 18, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/environment/2006-09
/18/content_5104222.htm

Gender – Sexual Harassment
法院判公司以"性骚扰"为由解聘外籍总经理不妥 (Court Rules that "Sexual Harassment" Charge Against Foreign CEO Is Unjustified)
Xinhuanet, September 15, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2006-09/15/
content_5095055.htm

Human Rights Defender – Journalist – Ching Cheong (程翔)
Ching Wants Spy Verdict Quashed, Not Just Leniency
SCMP, September 18, 2006
http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZ5A7M9CRE.html

程翔陆建华案多人谈 (Ching Cheong and Lu Jianhua Cases Spark Discussion)
Voice of America, September 17, 2006
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2006-09-17-voa40.cfm

Labor
Robust Economy Masks Legions of Unemployed
SCMP, September 17, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZFY2M9CRE.html

'Sweatshop Snoops' Take on China Factories
International Herald Tribune, September 15, 2006
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/09/15/business/inspect.php

Law - Criminal Law and Procedure
关注刑事诉讼法再修改的非专业问题 (Some Issues Concerning Revision of the Criminal Procedure Law)
Legal Daily, September 14, 2006
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/
2006-09/14/content_409870.htm

Media
Uncharacteristic Silence from the Official Media Is for a Good Reason
SCMP, September 18, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ4VQO9CRE.html

A Confident Nation Has Nothing to Hide
SCMP, September 16, 2006
http://focus.scmp.com/focusnews/ZZZ6FHO9CRE.html

Website Editors Axed After Poll on Nationality Preference for Next Life
SCMP, September 18, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZ3SKO9CRE.html

320 Illegal Websites, Internet Columns Shut Down
Xinhuanet, September 15, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-09
/15/content_5096488.htm

Olympics
Olympic Expulsions Break Law, Says Expert
SCMP, September 18, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZGL0M9CRE.html

Beijing Denies It Will Have Games Purge
SCMP, September 16, 2006
http://www.scmp.com/topnews/ZZZXZ3M9CRE.html

Politics
Eatery Shuns Even Good Press - for Now
SCMP, September 16, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZWDHO9CRE.html

Protests and Petitions
粤民上访3成涉村务公开 (30 Percent of Petitions in Guangdong Province Concern Openness of Village Affairs)
Wen Wei Po, September 18, 2006
http://www.wenweipo.com/news.phtml?news_id=C
H0609180033&cat=002CH

敷衍上访者可究刑责 (Officials Apathetic to Petitioners May Be Held Criminally Responsible in Beijing Municipality)
Ming Pao, September 18, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060918/ccd1.htm

Public Health
国家发改委官员：药价承担了不该承担的补偿功能 (State Development and Reform Commission Official: Inflated Drug Prices Should Not Be Used to Compensate Under-funded Hospitals)
People's Daily, September 18, 2006
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1026/4825968.html

Religion
Report Slams Lack of Religious Freedom
SCMP, September 17, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ836M9CRE.html

Xinjiang
The View from Guantánamo
New York Times, September 17, 2006
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/17/opin
ion/17qassim.html?_r=1&oref=slogin