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.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

October 18, 2006

Top News

Media - Censorship / Press Freedom
Scholar Held after Raid on Home
SCMP, October 18, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZK3LO9CRE.html
Dissident scholar and publisher Ding Dong, 55, was detained for 12 hours yesterday by 20 uniformed and plain-clothes police officers for trying to publish a book by late liberal democrat He Jaidong. He was taken away after the police raided his home and took away his computer, more than 200 books and some manuscripts. He was returned home 5:30am today. Ding refused to reveal the reason for his interrogation, but was disappointed that He's book might not be published.


News
Education
廈大開設高爾夫球課引起爭議 (Controversy on Compulsory Golf Lessons for Law and Business Students at Xiamen University)
BBC, October 18, 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/trad/hi/newsid_6060000/newsid
_6061000/6061014.stm


Environment
A Fresh Stink
SCMP, October 18, 2006
http://focus.scmp.com/focusnews/ZZZPMZQ9CRE.html

UN Warning Could See Dams Scrapped
SCMP, October 18, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZ654R9CRE.html

Government - Governance and Accountability
湖南学生离奇死亡 官员涉嫌掩盖真相 (Hunan Officials Criticized on Secondary Student's 'Mysterious' Death)
Radio Free Asia, October 17, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/10/17/
hunan/


Human Rights Defenders - Rights Defender Zheng Enchong (郑恩宠)
郑恩宠仍被限制自由 郭起真被判刑4年 (Rights Lawyer Zheng Enchong Placed Under House Arrest, Dissident Writer Guo Qizhen Sentenced for Four Years)
Radio Free Asia, October 17, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/10/17/

Labor
北京家政合同禁止成年异性与保姆同居一室引争议 (Controversy in Beijing over Domestic Helpers Sharing Rooms with Minors of Opposite Sex)
Xinhuanet, October 18, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2006-10/18/content_
5217145.htm


Drive to Clean up China’s Coalmine Heartland
Financial Times, October 18, 2006
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/8242cd92-5e36-11db-82d4-0000779e2340,dwp_uuid=9c33700c-4c86-11da-89df-0000779e2340.html0000779e
2340,dwp_uuid=9c33700c-4c86-11da-89df-0000779e2340.html


Law
China Sets up Expert Testimony Administration
People's Daily, October 18, 2006
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200610/18/eng20061018_
312846.html


国家赔偿不赔“精神”带出的问号 (Questions Raised on Mental Damages Not Covered under State Compensation Law)
Legal Daily, October 18, 2006
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/2006-10/18/content_
432071.htm


Media - Internet Censorship
China Internet Rumor-mongers Face Fines: Report
Reuters (via YahooNews), October 18, 2006
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061018/wr_nm/internet_
china_dc


Media - Censorship / Press Freedom
Press Freedom is Gaining Momentum on Mainland, Says Outspoken Academic
SCMP, October 17, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZALZQ9CRE.html

Police
Beijing Doubles Plain-clothes Police to Make Public 'Feel Safer'
AFP (via YahooNews), October 18, 2006
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061018/wl_asia_afp/china
policesociety


Poverty
中国最富的150万个家庭占有70%的财富 (1.5 Million Households Share 70% of China's Wealth)
China Youth Daily, October 18, 2006
http://zqb.cyol.com/content/2006-10/18/content_1542041.htm

Plan to Lift the Poorest Villages out of Poverty
SCMP, October 18, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZPNZQ9CRE.html

Public Health - HIV-AIDS/STDs
中国艾滋病传播方式已与非洲相似 (China and Africa Share Similarities in AIDS Transmission)
Voice of America, October 17, 2006
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2006-10-17-voa46.cfm