February 3 - 5, 2007

Top News of the Day
Protests and Petitions
访民在教育站中受虐待　人权机构谴责侵权违法 (Human Rights in China Condemns Establishment of "Education" Facility for Petitioners)
Radio Free Asia, February 02, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/02/02/hum
anrights/
Human Rights in China has issued a press release stating that petitioners in Shandong Province have been detained in a "petitioners’ education center" in Yantai City, where they are being held illegally and subjected to regular physical and verbal abuse by education center personnel. When asked to comment on the situation, officials told RFA that petitioners are sent there when important activities or meetings are taking place in Beijing.

Related Information
HRIC Press Release: Petitioners Expose Abusive Conditions in Shandong
"Education" Facility
Human Rights in China, February, 01, 2007
http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/press?revision
%5fid=32270&item%5fid=32268

News
Civil Society
Charities Left High and Dry
The Standard, February 05, 2007
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=
15&art_id=37586&sid=12043598&con_type=198&con_type=1

Death Penalty
Man Sentenced to Death for Girl's Sexual Assault
South China Morning Post, February 03, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZ217YTOXE.html

Human Rights Defenders
河南当局试图阻挠高耀洁赴美领取人权奖 (Henan Authorities Trying to Obstruct AIDS Activist from Receiving Human Rights Award in US)
Radio Free Asia, February 04, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/02/04/henan/

Human Rights Defender - Yan Zhengxue (严正学)
律师担心严正学可能被判重刑 (Lawyer Worries Yan Zhengxue May Be Given Harsh Sentence)
Radio Free Asia, February 02, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2007/02/02/china_dissid
ent_trial/

Labor
Guangzhou Factory Is Abusing Workers: Report
South China Morning Post, February 05, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZYR9YTOXE.html

Land Policy
Careless Mistake by Officials Nearly Costs Pensioner His Life
South China Morning Post, February 04, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZP8PETOXE.html

Learning from HK to Resolve Land Disputes
South China Morning Post, February 04, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZVGPETOXE.html

Law
反乙肝就业歧视应立法 (Expert Agues Employment Discrimination on the Grounds of Hepatitis B Status Should Be Outlawed)
China Youth Daily, February 05, 2007
http://zqb.cyol.com/content/2007-02/05/content_1667241.htm

Communist Leader Wants Control of Courts
Associated Press (via YahooNews), February 03, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070203/ap_on_re_as/china_poli
tics_1;_ylt=AgoR861dK49vu9bwER.IRVBPzWQA;_ylu=X3oDMT
BiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl9vu9bwER.IRVBPzWQA;_
ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

再有三名被解雇的乙肝工人控告企业歧视要求赔偿 (Three More Hepatitis B Carriers Sue Former Employee over Dismissal)
Radio Free Asia, February 02, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2007/02/02/china_discr
imination/

Media
驻京周记﹕製造敌人与麻烦 都是为了十七大 (Commentary: The Dynamics of the Censorship of Books and TV Programs in China)
Ming Pao, February 05, 2007
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20070205/cah1.htm

Despite Official Censorship, More Netizens Are Speaking Up to Support Zhang Yihe
China Digital Times February 05, 2007
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2007/02/despite_official_censorship
_more_netizens_are_speaking.phpeaking.php

新华社前记者投诉书作被禁 (Former Xinhua Journalist Writes Letter of Complaint over Book Ban)
Ming Pao, February 05, 2007
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20070205/cab1.htm

国际笔会2007年亚太地区会议在香港揭幕 (International PEN Holds 2007 Asia-Pacific Meeting in Hong Kong)
Radio Free Asia, February 04, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/02/04/bihui/

“六四天网”网站疑受攻击 (June 4th Website Attacked, Inaccessible for 20 Hours)
Radio Free Asia, February 02, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/02/02/tianw
ang/

地方政府威胁村民不得接受外国记者采访 (Hunan Authorities Warn Villagers Not to Give Interviews to Foreign Journalists)
Radio Free Asia, February 02, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2007/02/02/china_medi
a_freedom/

Old Party Press Control Buzzword Takes a Back Seat in More Subtle Censorship Approach
China Media Project, February 02, 2007
http://cmp.hku.hk/look/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPub
lication=1&NrIssue=1&NrSection=100&NrArticle=780=100&NrAr
ticle=780

Migrant Workers
17 Die in Hostel Blaze
South China Morning Post, February 05, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZUR9YTOXE.html

Olympics
Exploit China's Desire for Successful Olympics, Rights Advocates Urge US
Crosswalk.com, February 05, 2007
http://www.crosswalk.com/news/1467378.html

Politics
“政府的归政府，社会的归社会” (Commentary: Government Should Not Intervene in Development of Civil Society)
Nanfang City News, February 05, 2007
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/southnews/jwxy/20070205002
4.asp

中央高层密集视察十七大筹备工作 (CPC Leaders Inspect Preparatory Work for the 17th National People's Congress)
Nanfang Daily, February 04, 2007
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/southnews/djjz/200702040100
.asp

Public Health
新规默许色情服务？ 洗浴城发放安全套引争议 (New Regulation Requiring Saunas to Provide Condoms Sparks Controversy)
Xinhuanet, February 05, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2007-02/05/content_5697818.htm

Transparency Is Best Medicine for Chronic Corruption in Drug Watchdog
South China Morning Post, February 05, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZU5QUTOXE.html

Religion
北京地下教会人士刘凤钢获释 (Protestant House Church Member Liu Fenggang Released from Prison)
Radio Free Asia, February 04, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/02/04/liufeng
gang/

When Opium Can Be Benign
The Economist, February 01, 2007
http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id
=8625817