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 14, 2007

December 14, 2007

Top News of the Day
Death Penalty
农民在山西蒙冤入狱八年被判死缓 (Henan Migrant Worker Tortured into Confessing Murder, Sentenced to Death with 2-Year Reprieve in 1998)
Dahe Daily (via Xinhua), December 14, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2007-12/14/content_7246623.htm
Police in Shanxi allegedly tortured Henan migrant worker Hao Jin'an (郝金安) into confessing murdering a mine worker in 1998. Later that year, a Shanxi court sentenced him to death with a two-year reprieve. In April 2006, another Henan man surnamed Niu confessed to the crime and exculpated Hao. A local prosecutor said Hao cannot be released because verdict on Niu has yet to be delivered. Hao remains in jail.

News
Corruption

China Working on New Five-Year Plan to Improve Anti-Corruption System
Xinhuanet, December 13, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-12/13/content_7244075.htm

上海律师郑恩宠: 江泽民的儿子牵涉周正毅借贷圈地 (Zheng Enchong Says Jiang Zemin's Sons Are Involved in Zhou Zhengyi's Corruption Case)
Radio Free Asia, December 13, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/12/13/zhengenchong/

Death Penalty
广州法院集中宣判50多名“两抢”案犯 5人死刑 (Guangzhou Court Gives Verdict on 50 Robbery Suspects, Sentences 5 to Death Penalty)
Xinhuanet, December 14, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2007-12/14/content_7247826.htm

Environment
China Group Says to Name-and-Shame Air Polluters
Reuters, December 13, 2007
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSHKG151487

Gender
中国启动反对拐卖妇女儿童国家行动计划 (China to Announce Action Plan Against Trafficking of Women and Children)
Radio Free Asia, December 13, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/12/13/kidnap/

Land Policy
Farmers' Leader Held in Dispute over Land
South China Morning Post, December 14, 2007
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=9fb186fd1c4d6110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Media
Distributor Rejects Talk of Hollywood Film Ban
South China Morning Post, December 14, 2007
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=4c930913774d6110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

US Accuses Xinhua of Unfair Competition
Bloomberg (via South China Morning Post), December 14, 2007
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=6c7186fd1c4d6110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Migrant Workers
Mammon and Misery Greet Migrants to Guangdong's Frantic Frontier City
South China Morning Post, December 14, 2007
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=d51986fd1c4d6110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Olympics
Spielberg Urges China Again to Help End Darfur 'Genocide'
Agence France-Presse (via YahooNews), December 14, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071214/wl_asia_afp/sudandarfuroly2008filmpeoplespielberg_071214002907

Chinese Scholar Calls for Prisoner Pardon
Reuters, December 13, 2007
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSPEK13686020071213

EU Parliament Urges IOC to Press China on Rights
Reuters, December 13, 2007
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL1353209

Police
刑拘一疑犯 立刻奖一千 (Monetary Award for Police Officers Placing Certain Suspects Under Criminal Detention in Baiyun, Guangdong)
Nanfang City News, December 12, 2007
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/southnews/shyp/200712120534.asp

Population
结婚越来越晚 光棍越来越多 (Research Report Shows Chinese Marry Later; Country Has More Single Men)
China Youth Daily, December 11, 2007
http://zqb.cyol.com/content/2007-12/11/content_1989881.htm

Protests and Petitions
Officials Blamed in Ant-Potion Scandal
South China Morning Post, December 14, 2007
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=8be186fd1c4d6110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Paper Giant Calms Protesting Workers
South China Morning Post, December 14, 2007
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=318386fd1c4d6110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD