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.

Friday, November 24, 2006

November 24, 2006

Top News of the Day
Human Rights Defenders – Ching Cheong

Chinese Court Rejects Reporter's Appeal
AP( via YahooNews), November 24, 2006
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061124/ap_on_re_as/china_jail
ed_reporter_1

The Beijing Higher People's Court rejected the appeal of journalist Ching Cheong this morning. Xinhua News agency quoted an appeal judge who said the original verdict was "accurate in application of the law and appropriate in meting out punishment." Ching was convicted of selling unspecified state secrets and intelligence to a Taiwanese foundation.

News
Corruption

审计署审出71亿违规社保基金 部分资金无法追回 (National Auditors Find Misconduct in the Use of 7.1 Billion Yuan from Social Security Funds)
EastDay.com, November 24, 2006
http://news.eastday.com/eastday/node81741/node81762/node173
444/u1a2465127.htm
l

Reformer's Heir Defends Private Sector
SCMP, November 24, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZUTFQ47UE.html

中央工作组进驻上海房地局进行调查 (Central Working Group Investigates Shanghai Land Authorities)
Radio Free Asia, November 23, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/11/23/diaocha/

Death Penalty
死刑废存引发噱界交锋 (Chinese Academics Divided on Death Penalty Abolition)
Wen Wei Po, November 24, 2006
http://www.wenweipo.com/news.phtml?news_id=CH0611240038
&cat=002CH


Environment
Tibet Loses 40pc of Grasslands to Global Warming and Exploitation
SCMP, November 24, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZOK8N47UE.html

Yangtze's Water Critically Polluted and Getting Worse
SCMP, November 24, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZKLZM47UE.html

Human Rights Defenders
中国泛蓝联盟湖南负责人张子霖获释 (China Democracy Party Member Chen Zhonghe Released from Jail)
Radio Free Asia, November 23, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/11/23/zhang/

Land Policy
官商被扣三洲受重视 百呼不应邻村自觅方 (Authorities React to Land Grab Complaints in Sanzhou After Protest)
Radio Free Asia, November 23, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/11/23/guangd
ong/


Law
浙江一法院招书记员限身高 低于158厘米不合格 (Girl Sues Court in Zhejiang for Rejecting Her Job Application Based on Height)
EastDay.com, November 24, 2006
http://news.eastday.com/eastday/node81741/node81763/node17
3445/u1a2465574.htm
l

Media
社区新闻发言人并非“小题大做” (A District in Beijing Establishes Community Spokesperson System)
The Beijing News, November 24, 2006
http://news.thebeijingnews.com/0548/2006/1121/014@223403.htm

Website Workers Can Not Be Accredited Journalists
Xinhuanet, November 23, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-11/23/content_5367388
.htm


Police
Warning to Public over Promises of Quick Riches
SCMP, November 24, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ2Q0N47UE.html

Population
河南暂不放宽政策 夫妻均为独生子女也不可生二胎 (Couples that Are Single Children Themselves Not Allowed to Have a Second Child in Henan)
People's Daily, November 24, 2006
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/14562/5083551.html

Poverty
扶贫目标:5年温饱两千万人 (China Aims to Bring 20 Million People Out of Poverty in 5 Years)
Wen Wei Po, November 24, 2006
http://www.wenweipo.com/news.phtml?news_id=CH061124002
4&cat=002CH


Protests and Petitions
Police Drag Protesters from Rights Exhibition
SCMP, November 24, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZGK8N47UE.html

Tibetan Activist Sets Himself Afire
AP( via YahooNews), November 24, 2006
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061123/ap_on_re_as/india_chin
a_tibet


Society
Pregnant Women Used to Smuggle Heroin
SCMP, November 24, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZQTFQ47UE.html