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, August 14, 2006

August 12-14, 2006

Top News of the Day
Human Rights Defender - Tan Kai (谭凯)
环保人士谭凯被判一年半刑期 (Environmentalist Tan Kai Sentenced to 1.5 Years’ Imprisonment)
Radio Free Asia, August 11, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/08/
11/huanbao/

Tan Kai (谭凯), a founding leader of the banned environmental group "Green Watch," was sentenced to 1.5 years’ imprisonment by a local court in Hangzhou on August 11. His lawyer, Li Heping, stated that Tan was originally detained on charges of “providing state secrets abroad,” but the charge for which he was prosecuted was “illegally procuring state secrets.” Li believes that the sentence is unjust and contends that Tan is innocent. The charge was based on the fact that, while doing computer repair work, Tan saved sensitive information on his own computer. Tan's colleague at Green Watch believes that the crime was fabricated and the real issue was the group's controversial work.

News
Bilateral Ties
英国下议院报告批评中国封锁网络 (UK House of Commons Criticizes Internet Censorship in China)
Radio Free Asia, August 13, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/
08/13/yingguo/


Death Penalty
New Way of Thinking in War on Graft
SCMP, August 14, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZXO4TLQQE.html

Disasters
Locals Fear Typhoon's Toll Could Reach 1,000
SCMP, August 14, 2006
http://www.scmp.com/topnews/ZZZRP7TLQQE.html

Environment
Drought Alert for Parched Sichuan
SCMP, August 14, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZFC44LQQE.html

Steelmaker Cleaning up Its Act in Nanjing
SCMP, August 14, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ5S4VLQQE.html

Fine over Damage Caused by Epic Film
SCMP, August 12, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZWL14LQQE.html

Government
Beijing Acts on Call for More Open Government
SCMP, August 14, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ1S4VLQQE.html

Human Rights Defender – Journalist - Ching Cheong (程翔)
程翔案明开审 拒家属旁听 (Ching Cheong Goes on Trial Tomorrow; Family Barred from Courtroom)
Ming Pao, August 14, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060814/gba1h.htm

Human Rights Defender – Journalist
Zhejiang Journalist Arrested for Online Protest Reports
SCMP, August 13, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZBR6TLQQE.html

Labor
民调显示公众期待工会强势起来 (Survey Finds Public Would Like More Trade Unions)
China Youth Daily, August 14, 2006
http://zqb.cyol.com/content/2006-08/14/content_1477141.htm

Media
Foreign Culture Crackdown Targets Cartoons, Satellite TV
SCMP, August 14, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZNM34LQQE.html

What Effect Do Bloggers Have in China?
ChinaTechNews.com, August 11, 2006
http://www.chinatechnews.com/index.php?action=show&type
=news&id=4298


Olympics
北京奥运建设的阳光和阴影 (The Bright and Dark Sides of Beijing's Olympic Games Preparation)
Voice of America, August 13, 2006
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2006-08-13-voa32.cfm

中国将对采访奥运记者免签证 (China to Give Olympics Reporters Free Visas)
Radio Free Asia, August 11, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/08/
11/aoyun/


Police
Public Calls for Return of Vagrancy Law Attacked
SCMP, August 14, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZAL14LQQE.html

Politics
NPC Lobbyist Aims to Bring More Power to the People
SCMP, August 14, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ7P7TLQQE.html

Chinese Rush to Get Hold of Jiang's Musings
Financial Times, August 12, 2006
https://registration.ft.com/registration/barrier?referer
=http://www.ft.com/home/asia&location=http%3A//www.ft.
com/cms/s/ec021f7c-299c-11db-9dcc-0000779e2340.html
on
=http%3A//www.ft.com/cms/s/ec021f7c-299c-11db-9dcc-00
00779e2340.html


Protests and Petitions
学校被关闭 家长堵校长 (100 Parents Protest Closure of School in Beijing)
The Beijing News, August 14, 2006
http://news.thebeijingnews.com/0558/2006/08-14/
011@201486.htm


维权业主东华金座吃住3(30 Owners Petition Against Unfinished Apartments in Beijing)
The Beijing News, August 14, 2006
http://news.thebeijingnews.com/0558/2006/08-14/011
@201489.htm


河北省唐山警方打压库区维权农民 (Resettled Farmers Persecuted for Demanding Impeachment of Corrupt Officials in Tangshan, Hebei Province)
Radio Free Asia, August 12, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/08/12
/tangshan/


失地农民天安门剖腹自杀 (Land Grab Victim Commits Suicide in Tiananmen Square)
Radio Free Asia, August 11, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/08/11
/nongmin/


Public Health
救济成难题 上报规定不严厉 (Deadly Antibiotic Causes Compensation Problem)
Legal Daily, August 14, 2006
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/misc/2006-08/14/content
_377942.htm


"艾滋病悲剧"警钟长鸣 河南每县只准设一个血库 (Each County in Henan Province to Keep One Blood Bank Only)
EastDay.com, August 14, 2006
http://news.eastday.com/eastday/node81741/node81762/no
de154817/u1a2249889.html
l

Sex Taboos Hamper Safety Message for Gay Chinese
Reuters, August 14, 2006
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PEK305750.htm

中国抗艾取得成效但面临严峻挑战 (China's Anti-AIDS Campaign Has Had Some Effect, but Serious Challenges Still Ahead)
Voice of America, August 13, 2006
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2006-08-13-voa44.cfm

Religion
5 Christians Receive Formal Arrest Notifications from Xiaoshan Zhejiang Police, 3 Christians Suffer Broken Ribs in Prison, Christian Reporter Fired
China Aid, August 14, 2006
http://www.chinaaid.org/english_site/press_release_detail.php
?id=717


Falun Gong Pilot Seeks US Asylum
SCMP, August 13, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZTQ34LQQE.html

Why Falun Gong Threatened China
The Age (Australia), August 11, 2006
http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/why-falun-gong-thr
eatened-china/2006/08/11/1154803098595.html
china/2006
/08/11/1154803098595.html


Land Policy
国务院新规:大中型水库移民每人每年补助600/扶持20(State Council's New Opinion Standardizes Government Assistance for Villagers Resettled Due to Dam Projects)
Nanfang Daily, August 14, 2006
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/southnews/
jwxy/200608140508.asp


Hong Kong
Mainland Criminals Find the Going Easier in City's Prisons
SCMP, August 13, 2006
http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZLQ34LQQE.html

UN Panel Claims Sex Bias in Poll System
SCMP, August 12, 2006
http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZVK04LQQE.html