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.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

September 21, 2006

Top News of the Day
Protests and Petitions
十一之前北京加紧戒备 (Over 200 Petitioners Arrested and One Beaten to Death in Beijing Ahead of National Day)
Radio Free Asia, September 21, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/09/20/10.1/
Over 200 petitioners were arrested in Beijing on September 20, just 11 days before China’s National Day. All around Beijing, police are stepping up measures to control petitioning activities during the holiday period. One petitioner reported being told that they were not to do anything in relation to human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, or they would be handled as Falun Gong practitioners. Eight other people protested the beating to death of an elderly petitioner at the American Embassy in Beijing and were arrested on September 18.

News
Two Men Executed for Killing Seven with Poison Gas in Robbery
People's Daily, September 20, 2006
http://english.people.com.cn/200609/20/eng200609
20_304643.html


Government
維权者告政府剥夺参选权 (Rights Defender Sues Government for Depriving Him of Right to Run for Local Elections)
Ming Pao, September 21, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060921/can1.htm

监督法给我们带来什么? (What Are the Effects of the Supervision Law?)
Nanfang Weekend, September 21, 2006
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/southnews/zmzg/20
0609140733.asp


武汉公安投票日前扣押独立候选人 (Wuhan Police Arrest Independent Candidate Ahead of Voting Day for Local Elections)
Radio Free Asia, September 20, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/20
06/09/20/wuhan/


Human Rights
报告:中国人权状况一年来有退步 (US Congressional-Executive Commission on China’s Annual Report: Human Rights Situation Has Worsened in Past Year)
Voice of America, September 21, 2006
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2006-09-21-voa11.cfm

Land Policy
加大地方政府土地违法问责力度 (Local Governments to Take More Responsibility for Illegal Land Grabs, Says Minister of Land and Resources)
Legal Daily, September 21, 2006
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/2006-09/21/content
_415022.htm


Land Policy
浙江临海动用武警强征农田 (Paramilitary Police Used Tear-gas Bombs in Land Grabs in Linhai, Zhejiang Province on August 1)
Radio Free Asia, September 21, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/09/
20/zhejiang/


Media
国务院副总理曾培炎:互联网发挥着重要作用 (Vice-premier Hails Benefits of Internet at International Conference in Beijing)
Xinhuanet, September 21, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/tech/2006-09/21/cont
ent_5118812.htm


媒体评论案件不能简单归为媒体审判” (Media Comments on Court Decisions Should Not Be Seen as "Media Trials")
Nanfang Daily, September 21, 2006
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/southnews/spqy/20
0609210399.asp


新规定后日本通信社与新华社续约 (Japan’s Jiji Press Is First Foreign News Agency to Renew Contract with Xinhua)
Voice of America, September 20, 2006
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2006-09-20-voa50.cfm

U.S. Business Urges China to Suspend Media Rules
Reuters, September 20, 2006
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlebusiness.aspx?type=ousiv&s
toryID=2006-09-20T103911Z_01_PEK22664_RTRIDST_0_BUS
INESSPRO-MEDIA-CHINA-DC.XML&from=business
20T
103911Z_01_PEK22664_RTRIDST_0_BUSINESSPRO-MED
IA-CHINA-


Olympics
Beijing Ponders Construction Workers' Future Post-Olympics
Channel News Asia, September 21, 2006
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific_bu
siness/view/231493/1/.html


China Accused over Olympics Pledges
Financial Times, September 21, 2006
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/f1c08b80-48c6-11db-a996-000
0779e2340.html


Public Health
China Trails Neighbours in Pandemic Flu Strategy
SCMP, September 21, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZGQZO9CRE.html

Expert: AIDS Situation in Henan Under Initial Control
China Daily, September 21, 2006
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-09/20/conte
nt_693348.htm


Rising Incidence of Birth Defects in China Rings Alarm
People's Daily, September 20, 2006
http://english.people.com.cn/200609/20/eng200609
20_304612.html


Religion
大赦国际呼吁全球各界救援卜东伟 (Amnesty International Calls for Release of Asia Foundation Employee and Falun Gong Practitioner Bu Dongwei)
Voice of America, September 21, 2006
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2006-09-21-voa12.cfm

Tibet
Panchen Lama's Disappearance Case Highlighted at the United Nations
Phayul.com, September 20, 2006
http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=13943&
article=Panchen+Lama
arance+Case+Highlighted+at+the+United
+Nations&t=1&c=1