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, December 15, 2006

December 15, 2006

Top News of the Day

Protests and Petitions
杭州居民李丽娟因拆迁冲突被判刑 (Café Owner in Hangzhou Given Prison Sentence After Writing Slogans)
Radio Free Asia, December 14, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2006/12/14/china_
demolishing/

Li Lijuan, a café owner in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, has been sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of “causing a serious disturbance” by the Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court in a closed trial on November 24, 2006. Her family and lawyers had no knowledge about the trial and did not attend. Li's conviction is reportedly in relation to an act in March of this year, when she wrote protest slogans against forced evictions by the local government on a street wall.

News
Corruption
学生买保险教育局吃回扣 (Local Education Bureau in Guangxi Demands Kickbacks for Purchasing Insurance for Students)
The Beijing News, December 14, 2006
http://news.thebeijingnews.com/0567/2006/12-14/014
@228808.htm


More Than 4,000 People Prosecuted in China for Involvement in Commercial Bribery
People's Daily, December 15, 2006
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200612/15/eng20061215
_332694.html


Death Penalty
先完备司法再废除死刑公众才易于接受 (First Strive for a Competent Judicial Process Before Abolishing the Death Penalty)
China Youth Daily, December 15, 2006
http://zqb.cyol.com/content/2006-12/15/content_1611416.htm

北京一批严重危害社会治安的犯罪分子伏法 (A Group of Death Row Inmates Executed in Beijing)
Xinhuanet, December 14, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2006-12/14/content_
5486428.htm


Environment
Gov't Plans Pollution Investigation for 2008
China Daily, December 15, 2006
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-12/15/content
_759248.htm


Gender
希望中国有更多妇女领导人 (Hopes for More Female Leaders in China, Says Canadian Gender Expert)
Nanfang Weekend, December 15, 2006
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/zm/20061214/xw/tx1/
200612140007.asp


Government
公民有望在档案馆查阅政府信息 (Citizens to Be Given Access to Government Document Archives Soon)
Legal Daily, December 15, 2006
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/2006-12/15/content_
488307.htm


Human Rights Defenders
高智晟陈光诚等获特别人权英雄奖 (Jailed Rights Lawyers Gao Zhisheng and Chen Guangcheng Receive Human Rights Champion Award)
Radio Free Asia, December 14, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/
12/14/gao/


Labor
摩托罗拉九工人中毒 (Nine Chinese Workers Poisoned at Motorola Factory )
The Beijing News, December 15, 2006
http://news.thebeijingnews.com/0567/2006/12-15/
014@229074.htm


Media
中国对外记开放采访 反应和解释 (China's Response and Clarification on Relaxing Rules for Foreign Reporters)
Voice of America, December 14, 2006
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2006-12-14-voa42.cfm

Olympics
Beijing Police to Man Olympics Venues in August 2007
Xinhuanet, December 13, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-12/13/content_
5482020.htm


Protests and Petitions
成都农民抗议强征土地 21人被捕 (21 Villagers from Chengdu Arrested After Protesting Against Forced Eviction)
Radio Free Asia, December 14, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/12/
14/land/


温家宝视察超市风波 诉冤访民被警察问话 (Petitioners Questioned by Police After Presenting Grievances to Premier Wen Jiabao During His Visit to a Local Supermarket)
Radio Free Asia, December 14, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/12/14/wen/